Description
Book SynopsisSeeks to introduce Western readers to Chinese classical drama as well as investigate how women have traditionally been portrayed on stage by presenting original translations of six plays from the fourteenth to twentieth centuries.
Trade ReviewMa clearly describes the preeminent importance of female chastity in the ethical codes of Imperial China, showing how several of the play's heroines, though violating other societal expectations, do so in order to protect their chastity and so ultimately serve the gendered political order. The collection seems most appropriate to women's studies courses since, as a whole, it provides a fascinating overview of representations of women on the xiqu stage. -- Megan Evans, Victoria University of Wellington * Asian Theatre Journal *
Ma's new anthology of English translations of xiqu (Chinese Opera) plays is a welcome addition to existing resources. ...[the] translations are engagingly readable and provide a fascinating overview of female characters in traditional xiqu. -- Megan Evans, University of Hawai'i Manoa * China Review International *
Table of Contents1 Preface 2 Introduction: A Historical Sketch; Plot, Theme, Form, and Style; Chinese Women and Their Representation on Stage Chapter 3 Injustice to Dou E (Dou E yuan): Guan Hanqing Chapter 4 Qiannu's Soul Leaves Her Body (Qiannu li hun): Zheng Guangzu Chapter 5 Mulan (Ci Mulan): Xu Wei Chapter 6 Spring Pavilian (Lin chun ge): Wu Weiye Chapter 7 Laughter in a Flour Barrel (Miangang ziao): Tang Ying Chapter 8 The Girl Who Marries a Princess (Nu fuma): Lu Hongfei 9 Bibliography 10 Glossary of Chinese Characters
