The Peony Pavilion Author: Tang Xianzu [Ming Dynasty] / Commentary by Lin Wenrui Publisher: Zhonghua Book Company

Introduction
Poor scholar Liu Mengmei dreamed of a beautiful woman standing under a plum tree in a garden, saying that they were destined to be together, and he often missed her from then on. The daughter of Nan'an prefect Du Bao was named Li Niang, who was talented and beautiful, and studied under Chen Zuliang. She was sad about spring and looked for spring after reading the Guanju chapter in the Book of Songs. After returning from the garden, she saw a scholar holding half a weeping willow branch to woo her in her dream, and the two had a secret meeting by the Peony Pavilion. Du Liniang became depressed and thin from then on, and fell ill. On her deathbed, she asked her mother to bury her under the plum tree in the garden, and asked her maid Chunxiang to hide her self-portrait under the Taihu stone. Her father was promoted to the Huaiyang pacification envoy, and commissioned Chen Zuliang to bury his daughter and build the "Plum Blossom Temple". Three years later, Liu Mengmei went to Beijing to take the exam and stayed in the Plum Blossom Temple. He found the portrait of Du Liniang under the Taihu stone and found that Du Liniang was the beauty he saw in his dream. Du Liniang's spirit wanders in the back garden and has another tryst with Liu Mengmei. Liu Mengmei digs up the tomb and opens the coffin, Du Liniang comes back to life, the two get married and go to Lin'an. Du Liniang's teacher Chen Zuliang sees Du Liniang's tomb being excavated and denounces Liu Mengmei for tomb robbery. After Liu Mengmei takes the exam in Lin'an, he is entrusted by Du Liniang to send a letter home to announce the good news of her resurrection, but is imprisoned by Du Bao. After the results are announced, Liu Mengmei goes from being a prisoner to the top scholar, but Du Bao refuses to recognize his daughter's marriage and forces her to divorce. The dispute comes before the emperor, who laments their extraordinary fate, and Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei finally get married.
About the Author
Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) was a Chinese dramatist and writer in the Ming Dynasty. His courtesy name was Yi-Ren, and his pseudonyms were Hai-Ruo, Ruo-Shi, and Qing-Yuan Dao-Ren. He was of Han nationality and was born in Linchuan, Jiangxi Province. His ancestral home was Yunshan Township, Linchuan County, and he later moved to Tangjiashan (now Fuzhou City). Born into a family of scholars, he was well-known for his talent. He was not only proficient in ancient Chinese prose and poetry, but also in astronomy, geography, medicine, and divination. At the age of 34, he passed the imperial examination and successively served as a doctor of the Taichang Temple, the chief clerk of the Zhanshi Mansion, and the chief of the Ministry of Rites in Nanjing. In the 19th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1591), he witnessed the corruption of the bureaucracy at that time and angrily submitted a memorial entitled "On the Auxiliary Officials and Academicians", which angered the emperor and he was demoted to the position of Xuwen Dianshi. Later, he was transferred to the position of magistrate of Suichang County, Zhejiang Province. He served for five years and achieved remarkable political achievements. However, because he suppressed the powerful and angered the rich and powerful, he was criticized by his superiors and opposed by local forces. Finally, in the 26th year of the Wanli reign (1598), he angrily resigned and returned home. While at home, on the one hand, he hoped to "rise up and repay the favor he received", but on the other hand, he also hoped that "the court would have powerful ministers, the counties would have no greedy officials, and he would chant about the peace and prosperity, and adding one volume of poetry every year would be enough."