Trouble befalls a commoner in the Central Plains (Ma Ziyuan Volume) -- A Collection of Masterpieces by Famous Yuan Qu Poets

Author: Li Deshen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: Ma Zhiyuan created fifteen zaju plays in his lifetime, seven of which survive, with the historical tragedy The Autumn in the Han Palace being the most renowned. The compiler of this volume, Professor Li Deshen, is a seasoned expert in Yuanqu studies. In 2002, the author co-edited a Comprehensive Anthology of Famous Yuanqu Poems (published by the Chinese Social Sciences Press). His deep affection for Ma Zhiyuan, as evidenced by his previous work, seemed to leave him wanting more—making him the perfect choice to lead this project. In addition to including all of Ma Zhiyuan’s qu poems, this volume also features four acts of his zaju The Autumn in the Han Palace, as well as one act each from The Yueyang Tower, The Dream of Yellow Millet, The Green Shirt, The Temple of Beneficial Fortune, Chen Chuan’s Solitary Rest, and Rèn Fengzi. Coupled with his meticulously crafted annotations and critiques, this can be said to be the only comprehensive and thoroughly annotated collection of Ma Zhiyuan’s works currently available in China. The works collected in this book provide a relatively complete representation of Yuanqu style, and we have provided accessible critiques for each qu poem, making it easy for young readers to understand and appreciate.