Cao Yu

Chinese playwright. Born in Tianjin, Qianjiang County, Hubei Province. His real name was Wan Jiabao. He graduated from the Department of Western Literature at Tsinghua University in 1933. He joined the amateur Nankai New Theatre Troupe while at Nankai Middle School. During his time at both Nankai and Tsinghua universities, he read and was influenced by plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov, Gorky, and O'Neill. His debut work, The Thunderstorm (1933), had a complex plot and rich, sophisticated, and individualized dialogue that influenced the new Chinese theatre world. His other works include "Sunrise" (1935), "Beijing Man" (1941), and "Wang Zhaojun" (1979). "Thunderstorm" was performed in Japan in 1957, in the Soviet Union in 1959, and in Albania in 1963. In Japan, "Sunrise," "Wild Field," "Zeihen," and "Bright Sky" were performed by Mingei, Inanokai, and others. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he served as director of the Beijing People's Art Theater and chairman of the China Dramatists Association, and contributed to the enrichment and development of new Chinese drama. "The Complete Works of Cao Yu, Volume 7" was published (1996, Huashan Literary Publishing House, Hebei Province). The "Cao Yu Drama Literature Award" was established, and the "Cao Yu Mausoleum" is located in Qianjiang City, Hubei Province.

[Junko Nakano]

"Selections of Modern Chinese Literature 6: Lao She and Cao Yu" (translated by Shigeo Matsueda, 1962, Heibonsha)" ▽ "Modern Chinese Literature" by Shinobu Ono (1958, Mainichi Shimbunsha) ▽ "Famous Works of China" by Li Bo (1961, Keiso Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の劇作家。天津(てんしん)生まれ、湖北省潜江(せんこう)県出身。本名万家宝。1933年清華大学西洋文学科卒業。南開中学時代からアマチュアの南開新劇団に参加。南開、清華両大学時代にシェークスピア、イプセン、チェーホフ、ゴーリキー、オニールらの戯曲を読み影響を受けた。処女作『雷雨』（1933）は複雑なプロット、含蓄に富み洗練され個性化された台詞(せりふ)によって、中国新劇界に影響を与えた。ほかに『日の出』（1935）、『北京人(ペキンじん)』（1941）、『王昭君』（1979）などがあり、『雷雨』は1957年（昭和32）日本、59年ソ連、63年アルバニアで上演され、日本ではさらに『日の出』『原野』『蛻変(ぜいへん)』『明るい空』が民芸、稲の会等により上演された。中華人民共和国成立後は北京人民芸術劇院長、中国戯劇家協会主席を務め、中国新劇の充実発展に尽くした。『曹禺全集・7巻』が出版されている（1996・河北省花山文芸出版社）。「曹禺戯劇文学奨」が設けられており、湖北省潜江市には「曹禺陵園」がある。

［中野淳子］

『松枝茂夫訳『中国現代文学選集6　老舎・曹禺篇』（1962・平凡社）』▽『小野忍著『現代の中国文学』（1958・毎日新聞社）』▽『黎波著『中国の名著』（1961・勁草書房）』

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