Scenes for Mandarins

Ming drama represents the classical Chinese theatre at its most mature. Between 1368 and 1644, more than 400 playwrights produced over 1500 plays, ranging from one-act skits to works with 50 scenes or more. As a performing art, Ming theatre includes polished singing, enchanting music, fantastic plotting, and intricate choreography. In China, well-known Ming plays are common cultural reference points. Although several full plays have been translated, there has been no general introduction to the subject available to English-language readers. This text offers an introduction to this significant period in Chinese literature. Containing highlights from six of the best plays of the Ming period, together with commentary on each play, it provides the context necessary to help Western readers grasp the scope of the genre. The author’s introduction describes the rise and development of the Ming theatre, its aesthetic and emotional appeals, and its dramaturgical achievements. He leads readers into the world of Ming drama by reflecting on the cultural details of the period.

Author Biography

Cyril Birch is professor emeritus in the Department of East Asian Languages at the University of California at Berkeley. Among the many books he has written, translated, and edited are Stories from a Ming Collection (1968), Studies in Chinese Literary Genres, The Peony Pavilionand, with Donald Keene, Anthology of Chinese Literature (1987).