Tang Xianzu (1550–1616) was a playwright and writer of the Ming dynasty from Linchuan in Fuzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi. His courtesy name was first Yishao and later Yireng; he used the sobriquets Hairuo, Ruoshi, Qingyuan Daoren, Jianweng, and Hairuoshi, and named his studio Yumingtang. The forms 若干 and 清運道人 are also found.
His ancestral home was Yunshan township in Linchuan County, and the family later moved to Tangjiashan in Fuzhou. His great-grandfather was 湯瑄, his grandfather 湯懋昭, and his father 湯尚賢; his mother was 吳氏. His younger brothers were 湯儒祖, 湯鳳祖, 湯會祖, and 湯良祖; his wife was 吳氏, and his second son was 湯開遠. His grandfather was interested in Laozi, Zhuangzi, and tales of immortals, while his father was known for his stern character.
Life
At the Jiangxi provincial examination of 1570, Tang became a juren; his place is given as eighth in one account and 65 in another. He had an early literary reputation, declined recruitment by Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, and failed the examinations four times; he went to Beijing in 1577 and failed twice, then returned for the spring examination in 1580. In 1583 he passed the Guiwei-class jinshi examination and ranked 211th in the third tier.
After passing the examination, he was appointed Taichang boshi (太常博士) in Nanjing and later held the posts of Zhan shi fu zhubu (詹事府主簿), Xingbu zhushi (刑部主事) in Nanjing, and Libu Ciji si zhushi (禮部祠祭司主事) in Nanjing. Because he refused to attach himself to Grand Secretary Shen Shixing, he held only a nominal post in Nanjing. In 1591 he wrote the memorial 〈論輔臣科臣疏〉, impeached Shen Shixing, and exposed abuses in government; he was consequently demoted to dian shi at Xuwen in Guangdong.
He was later appointed a county magistrate in Zhejiang; the Zhejiang appointment is dated 1593, and his tenure as magistrate of Suichang ran from 1594 to 1598. At Suichang he was described as honest in office, attentive to the people, and well regarded locally, but he was dismissed for refusing to serve powerful interests. In 1598 he left office and returned home, building the Yumingtang retreat in Linchuan and devoting the rest of his life to drama and literary composition.
He associated with the early Donglin leaders Gu Xiancheng, Gao Panlong, and Zou Yuanbiao, as well as the writers Yuan Hongdao, Shen Maoxue, Tu Long, Xu Wei, and Mei Dingzuo. His thought was strongly influenced by Li Zhi and the Chan master Daguan.
Works
After returning home, Tang devoted himself to drama. His plays *Zicha ji* (紫釵記), a revised version of *Zixiao ji* (紫簫記), *Huanhun ji* (還魂記), also known as *Mudan ting* (牡丹亭), *Handan ji* (邯鄲記), and *Nanke ji* (南柯記) are collectively called the *Yumingtang si meng* (玉茗堂四夢), or the *Linchuan si meng* (臨川四夢).
His poetry and prose collections included *Hongquan yicao* (紅泉逸草), *Wenji youcao* (問棘郵草), and *Yumingtang ji* (玉茗堂集); the second title also appears as 問棘棘郵草. The number of juan given for *Yumingtang quanji* (玉茗堂全集) varies between four and forty-six; related collections include *Yumingtang wenji* (玉茗堂文集), in fifteen juan, and *Yumingtang shiji* (玉茗堂詩集), in sixteen juan. Other works include *Xu Yuchu zhi* (續虞初志), also found as 續虞初新志, and *Yinfu jing jie* (陰符經解), in one juan.
References
- CBDB Tang Xianzu (65870)
- 搜韵 湯顯祖 (51308)
- Wikidata Tang Xianzu (Q945333)
- 法鼓佛教人名规范数据库 湯顯祖 (A007638)