History of Song and Yuan Drama (Rare Republican Era Collection)

Author: Wang Guowei (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Before writing this book, Wang Guowei believed that Chinese opera was the lowest achievement among all literary forms in China, thinking that Chinese opera was far inferior to Western art. These were his two "prejudices," and they also marked the starting point for writing this book. After completing it, his perspective changed: he discovered that opera was not a "declining genre" in Chinese literature but rather a representative of the "highest level of great literature"; he believed that opera was not a "minor art," with Yuan qu (Yuan Dynasty opera) serving as a representative of Yuan Dynasty literature; he thought that Yuan zaju (Yuan Dynasty mixed operas) already contained tragedies with "tragic qualities"; he considered The Tragedy of Dou E and The Orphan of Zhao to be fully worthy of inclusion in the world's great tragedies, no less impressive than Western masterpieces; he established the position of opera in Chinese literature and also in the world of opera.
Reasons to Read This Book: He was truly a dedicated scholar. In the moribund academic environment of China at the turn of the century, he observed and thought independently, forging a new path and setting a new academic trend. He was neither a master nor a doctorate holder, nor had he completed a postdoctoral program. He achieved "pioneering accomplishments" entirely through his own efforts. With a passion for "promoting and glorifying" his country's academic culture, he combined the philosophical depth of a philosopher, the meticulousness of a historian, and the talent of a literary artist. He was regarded as a "cultural giant who mastered both Eastern and Western learning."
Recommended Readers:
- Scholars or enthusiasts of the history of Chinese literature
- Scholars or enthusiasts of the history of Chinese opera
- Scholars or enthusiasts of the history of modern and contemporary Chinese thought
- Scholars or enthusiasts of Wang Guowei
This book was completed in January 1913 and serialized in The Eastern Magazine from April 1913 to March 1914. In 1915, the Commercial Press published it as a standalone volume. In the nearly five years before its completion, the author had conducted comprehensive and profound preliminary research, writing works such as A Catalogue of Qu (a form of Chinese opera), A Study on the Origins of Chinese Opera, A Study on the Great Qu of Tang and Song Dynasties, A Record of Opera Performers, An Annotated Edition of Lugu Bu (a Yuan Dynasty opera script collection), and A Study on the Roles in Ancient Opera. Finally, in just three months, he completed this History of Song and Yuan Dynasty Opera.
Guo Moruo compared this book to Lu Xun's Outline of the History of Chinese Fiction, calling them "two cornerstones of Chinese literary history research." He believed that "not only was it pioneering work without precedent, but it was also an authoritative achievement that has guided millions of later scholars." Liang Qichao called this book a "pioneering creation," acknowledging that while its format had room for improvement, "it had greatly elevated the field of historiography."
This book is also regarded as an "epoch-making academic masterpiece," a "landmark study in the research of ancient Chinese drama," a "scientific and comprehensive monograph on Chinese opera," a "masterpiece in the history of literary studies," a "pioneering analysis of Chinese opera across different dynasties," an "acknowledged classic in academia," the "foundational work in the field of opera history research," a "symbol marking the establishment of the discipline of Chinese opera studies," and a "representative work with methodological significance in classical literary research."
Wang Guowei was not only a master in ancient history, geography, and paleography but also made significant contributions to the study of Chinese opera history. This book is his masterpiece in that regard. The art of Chinese drama reached its peak of prosperity during the Yuan Dynasty, yet it had long been overlooked and obscured by the disdain of previous scholars. Wang Guowei's History of Song and Yuan Dynasty Opera pioneered groundbreaking work in this area. It conducted a comprehensive examination, traced the origins, and addressed fundamental questions about the characteristics of Chinese drama, its origins and formation, and the achievements of Chinese opera literature. This brought the treasures of Yuan qu back into the spotlight and paved the way for future research on the history of Chinese opera.