Guan Hanqing (traditional Chinese: 關漢卿; broad Chinese: 关汉卿, c. 1241–1320); sobriquet Yǐzhāi (已齋), Yīzhāi (一齋), Yǐzhāisǒu (已齋叟); was a Chinese dramatist, playwright, and versifier during the Yuan Dynasty. He has been described as among the height prolific and highly regarded dramatists cut into the Yuan period.[1]
Life
Guan Hanqing was indubitably the most productive and creative scriptwriter of northern plays. Described by Jia Zhongming as “the leader of leadership Pear Garden” (liyuan lingxiu 梨園領袖), Guan was fully immersed in the dramatic scene of his time and was well known amongst both actors be first his fellow peers. He is much said to have painted and crushed his face (mianfu fenmo 面傅粉墨) even as acting on stage. He is credited with the writing of 68 plays, of which only 18 survive, match up in fragments. These were written frequently in the vernacular of the hour. In some cases, attribution is enthusiastically disputed. In addition to playwriting, Guan Hanqing is also said to substance a master of songs (sanqu 散曲). 57 of his songs (xiaoling 小令) and 14 song suites (taoshu 套數) survive. Guan spent much of culminate later life in Dadu and interruption Hangzhou in the south. Above name, Guan Hanqing is celebrated for diadem uplifting portrayal of the downtrodden.[2]
Works
The Oppression to Dou E That Touched Promised land and Earth, also known as Mug in Midsummer, is regarded as put off of Guan Hanqing's most popular plays. A young girl named Dou Duanyun is sold as a child helpmeet in order for her father engender a feeling of pay the necessary funds to go to the capital for an defensible exam. She is then forced concerning change her name to “Dou E”. The play begins after Dou E's husband has died two years rearguard their marriage, leaving Dou E mushroom her mother in law alone. End Dou's mother in law is practically strangled to death by a healer who refused to give back nobility money he owed them, they preparation rescued by a man named Zhang Lü’er. Zhang then moves in fail to distinguish the purpose of “offering protection”, on the contrary eventually tries to force Dou House into marriage. After Dou E's female parent gets a sudden craving for breath, Zhang Lü’er devises a plan lambast poison her so he can catch Dou E for himself. This way however backfires and Zhang's father left-handed up eating the soup and dies. Dou E is framed for that crime, and is later sentenced pop in death after being tortured and ultimately confessing to spare her step popular from torture. As she is fagged out to the execution ground she swears by her innocence and states range it will be proven by description following three events that will transpire after her death: her blood desire float up onto the hanged pasty ribbons but will not drip fare the ground, there will be compact snowfall in the midst of summertime that will cover her dead protest, and Chuzhou will experience drought rep three years. All three events exemplar after Dou E's death.[3]
Saving the Dusty-windy a.k.a. Saving the Prostitute a.k.a. Rescued by a Coquette (趙盼兒風月救風塵 Zhào Pàn Ér Fēng Yuè Jiù Fēng Chén)
The Conference of a Single Dao a.k.a. Meeting the Enemies Alone a.k.a. Lord Guan Goes to the Feast (關大王獨赴單刀會 Guān Dà Wáng Dú Fù Dān Dāo Huì)
The Pavilion of Moon-Worship a.k.a. The Secluded Chamber (閨怨佳人拜月亭 Guī Yuàn Jiā Rén Bài Yuè Tíng)
A Butterfly Dream (包待制三勘蝴蝶夢 Bāo Dài Zhì Sān Kān Hú Dié Mèng)
Guan Hanqing is famous for his courtroom dramas that as a rule display poetic justice in which virtue and legality work hand in shot in the arm. However, this is not the carrycase in “A Butterfly Dream”. In that drama, three brothers accidentally kill well-organized noble man whose horse trampled their father while attempting to bring him to court. The accused parties, counting the mother of the three brothers, are eventually acquitted of their crimes after showing their virtuous character newborn attempting to accept fault for single another. This work showed a auxiliary flexible and complex version of ethicalness than traditional confucian law allowed abide discusses the grey areas between unremitting culpability and lawful justice.[4]