Pipa Ji

Author: Zhou Jianshun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: As one of the four great classical tragedies in China, The Pipa is one of the higher-achieving and more influential works of Nanxi during the late Yuan Dynasty, often regarded as the ancestor of Nanxi. The Pipa was written by Gao Ming, styled Zecheng, a native of Rui'an, Wenzhou. In his early years, he lived in the countryside studying, later passing the imperial examinations and holding several minor official positions. During the late Yuan Dynasty peasant uprising, he retreated to seclusion and devoted himself to writing and scholarship. Gao Ming grew up in Wenzhou, the birthplace of Nanxi, and was familiar with the stage arts of Nanxi, possessing a deep cultivation in traditional culture. The Pipa was adapted from the folk Nanxi Zhao Zhenjun while he was in seclusion in Lishuo, east of Ningbo City. The Pipa achieved great artistic success, but due to its complex ideological content and profound influence, it has long been one of the most debated works in the theater world.