The Peony Pavilion
The Peony Pavilion (), also named "The Return of Soul at the Peony Pavilion", is a romantic tragicomedy play written by dramatist Tang Xianzu in 1598, and the plot was drawn from the short story "Du Liniang Revives For Love." It depicts a love story between Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei that overcomes all difficulties, transcending time and space, life and death; the pair unite at the end. Tang's play diverges from the short story in that it dynamically integrates the legendary and the reality in Ming Dynasty. Scenes of love in dreams, Du Liniang's revival, or any supernatural element seem absurd in play, but it reflects the sprout of humanism, through protagonists' strong desire and unremitting pursuit of free love, and uncovers the degeneracy of the society under feudalism at that time.