The West Chamber
《西厢记》
Wang Shifu born in Dadou (now Beijing)，the writer of The West Chamber，was an outstanding playwright of poetic dramas of the Yuan Dynasty. The West Chamber，which consists of 5 acts with 21 scenes，has been widely regarded as an immortal work on love and romance.The drama，the full name of which is CUI Yingying's Romance at the West Chamber，is based upon the
fiction，drama，story-telling and ballad-singing of the previous times as well as up-on Dong Xieyuan's Various Court Melodies of the West Chamber. Through the love story of Cui Yingying and Zhang Sheng about their daring resistance to the feudal etiquettes in their pursuit for love and about their happy ending，the drama eulogizes the fighting spirit of the young people against the feudal forces for the freedom of marriage. It also condemns the concept of arranged marriages in accordance with well-matched social and economic family status and exhibits the progressive idea of“letting all those in love be finally joined in perfect union. It is unprecedented in the universality，thoroughness and profundity of its anti-feudalist theme. By integrating the personality of its characters with the dramatic conflicts，the drama creates the image of Cui Yingying，a typical girl from noble families who pursued freedom in marriage and was rebellious against the feudal etiquettes，thus turning her into one of the most brilliant and touching female characters in the history of Chinese theater. Hong Niang，who is characterized as resourceful，bright，warm and vigorous，is one of the most successful images of servant-girls on the Chinese stage .The skillful application of the double-thread structure and dramatic plot greatly enhances the stage effect of the drama and strengthens the appeal of its artistic charm. The drama has been adapted into various local operas，storytelling and ballad-singing which have circulated far and wide among the people since the Ming and the Qing dynasties.
作者王实甫，元代著名剧作家，大都(今北京)人。《酉厢记》共包括五幕二十一回，被认为是一部经久不衰的爱情故事。《西厢记》全名《崔莺莺待月西厢记》，,.最早来源于小说、戏剧、传奇、说唱以及董解元的《西厢记诸宫调》。通过崔莺莺和张生的爱情故事改编而成。《西厢记》把男女主人公塑造成在爱情上坚贞不渝，敢于冲破封建礼教的束缚，并经过不懈的努力，终于得到美满结果的一对青年。它也谴责了由父母安排的门当户对的封建婚姻观，使剧本反封建倾向更鲜明，突出了“愿普天下有情人都成眷属”的主题思想。《西厢记》中主人翁崔莺莺出身于贵族达官家庭，但却追求婚姻自由，反对封建礼教。因此，她是中国舞台剧史上最感人的女性人物。红娘，在小说中被塑造成聪明、热心和大胆的人物，也是中国舞台剧中最成功的‘r环形象.剧中双线结构的齐头并进和对矛盾情节的烘托提升了其舞台效果和艺术魅力。在艺术上，剧本通过错综复杂的戏剧冲突，来完成莺莺、张生、红娘等艺术形象的塑造，使人物的性格特征生动鲜明，加强了作品的戏剧性。此剧后来被改编成不同的艺术剧，传奇和说唱在民间流传至明、清时代。
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