Haitang Literature Series--Research on Ming Dynasty Drama Criticism

Author: Zhu Wanshu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-08-01
Features: The book offers microscopic analysis, such as a careful review and comparison of various critical editions of the three major classic plays Romance of the West Chamber, The Pipa Opera, and The Peony Pavilion. The author meticulously examines the relationships between different critical editions and evaluates the theoretical value of specific critical remarks, revealing insights that previous scholars had not discovered. The book summarizes the rich theoretical and critical value embedded in Ming Dynasty opera annotations. The author places Ming Dynasty opera annotations within the history of Chinese literary theory, arguing that the contributions of the annotators lie in establishing the ontology of "drama," a "truth"-centered aesthetic view of opera, and stylistic theories. Regarding the critical value of the annotators, the book examines it from three perspectives: "revealing the creative purpose," "unveiling artistic mysteries," and "social and cultural criticism." The perspectives are unique, and the viewpoints are novel. The book is well-documented, extensively researched, analytically insightful, and convincingly argued, featuring both comprehensive and in-depth case studies. The book offers many new insights and original contributions in its exploration of the distinctive national characteristics of opera annotations, opening a new page in the study of the history of Chinese opera criticism and holding significant academic value.