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''The Peach Blossom Fan'' () 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.〔《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.〕 The play depicts the drama that resulted in the 1644 collapse of the Ming dynasty.〔Acton, p. (xvii ).〕 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 courtesan Li Xiangjun (李香君), the Fragrant Princess.〔: "《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。"〕 The ''Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature'' has called it "China's greatest historical drama."〔.〕 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. ==Background== In the early Qing dynasty, the rise and fall of the dynasty touched many poets and playwrights, especially intellectuals, which pushed them into thinking of the historical lessons taught by the downfall of the Ming.〔.〕 These writers, including Kong Shangren, expressed hatred and regret at its collapse through their works and a sense of historical responsibility. Kong said he wanted to make clear what had made the decay happen.〔Kong Shangren 孔尚任, "Short introduction" (小引) to the ''Peach Blossom Fan'': "知三百年之基業,隳於何人,敗於何事,消於何年,歇於何地。"〕 Kong heard stories about the period of Hong Guang (C: 弘 光) from his cousin Kong Fangxun (孔方訓), whose tale of Li Xiangjun inspired him into creating a script.〔据《桃花扇本末》记载：“独香姬面血溅扇，杨友龙以画笔点之……虽不见诸别籍，其事变新奇可传，《桃花扇》一剧感此而作也。”〕 But at that time, it was only a draft because Kong wanted to collect historical details.〔《桃花扇本末》：“每拟作此传奇，恐闻见未广，有乖信史者，寝歌之余，仅画其轮廓，实未饰其藻采也。”〕 So during his three year stay in the south, where the story took place, Kong got acquainted with Ming loyalists like Mao Xiang (冒襄), Deng Hanyi (鄧漢儀), Xu Shuxue (許漱雪), Zong Yuanding (宗元鼎), She Chacun (社茶村) and masters of art like Shitao, Gong Xian, and Cha Shibiao (查士標). He also visited historical sites such as Plum Blossom Mountain (梅花岭), Qin Huai River (秦淮河), Swallow Rock (燕子磯), Imperial Palace, and the Mausoleum of the Ming Emperor (明孝陵).〔.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Peach Blossom Fan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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