The Palace of Eternal Life

The Palace of Eternal Life
A printed version of the play The Palace of Eternal Life from the Kangxi period
Written byHong Sheng
Surimono by Totoya Hokkei with the scenes from The Palace of Eternal Life. Japan, 1831. Chester Beatty Library
The Palace of Eternal Life in Kunqu
The Palace of Eternal Life in Kunqu

The Palace of Eternal Life (traditional Chinese: 長生殿; simplified Chinese: 长生殿; pinyin: Chángshēng diàn; Wade–Giles: Ch'ang-sheng tian), also translated as The Palace of Eternal Youth, is a play written by Hong Sheng (洪昇/洪升) in the Qing dynasty. He absorbed certain material from the long narrative poem The Song of Everlasting Sorrow written by Bai Juyi and the zaju Rain on the Paulownia Tree (梧桐雨) written by Bai Renfu. The Palace of Eternal Life is acclaimed as one of China's "Four Great Classical Dramas", along with The Peony Pavilion, The Peach Blossom Fan and Romance of the Western Chamber.[1] The performance is focused on the everlasting love story of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and his favorite consort Yang Guifei.[2]

This story has been translated into English and published by the Foreign Languages Press.

  1. ^ "华东师范大学人文社会科学信息网". East China Normal University. 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2012-06-05.
  2. ^ "长生殿". Kunqu.org. Retrieved 2012-06-05.