Peach blossom fan

A full-length play from the Qing Dynasty in China. 40 scenes. Written by Kong Shangren. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Hou Fangyu and others from the Fushe literati association held deep-rooted resentment against Ruan Daqing and Ma Shiying, members of Wei Zhongxian's faction. After Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide, Ruan and Ma supported King Fu as emperor, seized power, and oppressed the people of the Fushe. As the Qing army moved south, the generals defected, and Zuo Liangyu and Shi Kefa, who resisted to the end, also committed suicide, and the Ming Dynasty was completely destroyed. In this turbulent era, the love between the nobleman Hou Fangyu and the famous Nanjing courtesan Li Xiangjun (Li Xiangjun) was once decided, but due to pressure from Ruan and Ma, the marriage was never concluded. The play sings of the unchanging love between the two and the sorrow of the fall of the Ming Dynasty. All the characters are based on real people, and the events are based on historical facts, making this a masterpiece of historical drama. The title of the play comes from the fact that when Li Xiangjun, who refused to be bought by a rich man, fell to the floor, fresh blood splattered on the fan of her promise, and a friend added some brush strokes to create the appearance of peach blossoms.

[Keiko Hiramatsu]

"Peach Blossom Fan" translated by Hideo Iwaki (included in "Chinese Classical Literature Series 53: Drama Collection Vol. 2", Heibonsha, 1971)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、清(しん)代の長編戯曲。40齣(せき)（場）。孔尚任(こうしょうじん)作。明(みん)末、魏忠賢(ぎちゅうけん)の一派阮大せい(げんたいせい)、馬士英(ばしえい)らに対する文人の結社、復社の侯方域(こうほういき)らの反感は根強かった。崇禎(すうてい)帝の自殺後、阮、馬は福王を皇帝に擁立し、権力を握ると、復社の人々を弾圧する。やがて清軍の南下するにつれて諸将は寝返り、最後まで抵抗した左良玉、史可法も自殺し、明王朝は完全に滅びる。この激動する時代を背景に、名士侯方域と南京(ナンキン)の名妓(めいぎ)李香君(りこうくん)との愛は、一度は契りを交わしたが、阮、馬らの圧迫でついに結ばれなかった。2人の変わらぬ愛情と明朝滅亡の哀(かな)しみを唱(うた)う。登場人物はすべて実在の人、事件も史実に沿った歴史劇の名作。劇名は、金持ちの身請けを拒んだ香君が床に倒れたとき鮮血が契りの扇に散り、友人が筆を加えて桃花に仕上げたのに由来する。

［平松圭子］

『岩城秀夫訳『桃花扇』（『中国古典文学大系53　戯曲集　下』所収・1971・平凡社）』

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