Wang Can
Zheng Guangzu was born in Pingyang (today’s Hongchao, Xiangfen county, Shanxi province). Along with other playwrights, he helped to bring about the revival of interest in zaju drama throughout the south, particularly in Hangzhou. Eighteen plays are attributed to him, only eight of which are still extant. In the case of five of these his authorship is undisputed. These include Zhōugōng Shèzhèng ("The Duke of Zhou Acts as Regent", 周公攝政), Wáng Càn Dēng Lóu ("Wang Can Ascends the Tower", 王粲登樓), Hànlín Fēngyuè ("Wind and Moon in the Hanlin Academy", 翰林風月, whose fuller and more informative title is "How Pretty ‘Fragrant Plum-Blossom’ Swindled the Hanlin Academician: a Romance" 㑳梅香騙翰林風月) and Qiànnǚ Líhún ("Qiannü’s Soul Leaves Her Body", 倩女離魂). The last of these is the best-known, and almost certainly inspired the far more famous Ming dynasty play "Mudan Ting" by Tang Xianzu.