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A Topsy-Turvy World: Short Plays and Farces from the Ming and Qing Dynasties
A Topsy-Turvy World: Short Plays and Farces from the Ming and Qing Dynasties
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During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, playwriting in various forms flourished, particularly shorter theatrical genres that allowed playwrights to experiment with dramatic form and social critique. A Topsy-Turvy World presents English translations of sixteenth-to-eighteenth-century plays, showcasing a lesser-known side of Chinese drama. These one-act plays depict deceit, dissembling, reversed gender roles, and sudden upending of fortunes, offering a glimpse of Chinese daily life and mores while questioning or subverting social, moral, and political order. Each translation is preceded by a short introduction that provides context, formal qualities, and textual history.
Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 10 October 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press
During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, playwriting in various forms experienced a remarkable flourishing. Particularly, shorter theatrical genres provided playwrights with an exciting opportunity to explore and experiment with dramatic form and social critique. Despite their originality and wit, these short plays have often been overshadowed by the lengthy masterpieces of the southern drama tradition.
A Topsy-Turvy World presents English translations of shorter sixteenth-to-eighteenth-century plays, shedding light on a lesser-known aspect of Chinese drama. These mostly one-act plays are characterized by their satirical and often earthy tone, depicting deceit, dissembling, reversed gender roles, and sudden upheavals of fortunes. With a zest for life and humor, they portray henpecked husbands, haughty and lustful monks, human sage kings, disgruntled officials, and ambitious young scholars. These plays offer a captivating glimpse into Chinese daily life and customs while simultaneously questioning or subverting the boundaries of social, moral, and political order.
Before each translation, a short introduction provides valuable context, including information about the plays author, historical setting, formal qualities, and textual history. A Topsy-Turvy World offers a fresh perspective on a significant period in the development of the Chinese theatrical tradition, highlighting the role of drama as a cultural critique.
Weight: 818g
Dimension: 180 x 256 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231208970
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