The Peach Blossom Fan (Chinese: 桃花扇; pinyin: Táohuā shàn; Wade–Giles: T'ao-hua shan; Jyutping: Tou4faa1 sin3) is a musical play and historical drama in 44 scenes that was completed in 1699 by the early Qing dynasty playwright Kong Shangren after more than 10 years of effort.[1][2]
The play depicts the drama that resulted in the 1644 collapse of the Ming dynasty.[3] The play recounts the death of the Ming dynasty through the love story of its two main characters, young scholar Hou Fangyu (侯方域) and a famous Geji named Li Xiangjun.[4] [5] The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature has called it "China's greatest historical drama".[6]
An English translation published by the University of California Press was translated by Chen Shih-hsiang and Harold Acton, K.B.E. with Cyril Birch collaborating.
- ^ 《洪昇年谱》康熙三十八年（1699年）载："六月孔尚任《桃花扇》成，遂盛行于世。秋，康熙索《桃花扇》观之，其后孔尚任罢官，世多疑其系以《桃花扇》贾祸。"
- ^ Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance, "Kong Shangren". answers.com. http://www.answers.com/topic/kong-shangren. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ Acton, p. xvii.
- ^ Niu 2004, p. 112: "《桃花扇》是一部以复社文人侯方域与秦淮名妓李香君的爱情故事，反映南明弘光王朝覆灭的历史悲剧。"
- ^ "河南发现秦淮名妓李香君后人忍辱负重求生存".
- ^ Nienhauser 1986, p. 520.