湯顯祖 Tang Xianzu

中國晚明時期戲曲劇作家、文學家。字義仍，號海若、清遠道人，晚年號若士、繭翁，臨川(今江西)人。早年兩次進京赴考因不肯接受宰相張居正的拉攏而落第。直到萬曆十一年(1583年)考中進士，但仍不肯趨附新任宰相申時行，故僅能在南京任虛職。於萬曆十九年(1591年)寫成《論輔臣科臣疏》，揭發時政積弊，抨擊朝廷，彈劾大臣而被謫遷廣東。後又調任浙江遂昌知縣。湯顯祖最終因不滿朝政腐敗，於萬曆二十六年(1598年)棄官回鄉，在臨川建了一座閒居，號「玉茗堂」，從此致力於戲劇和文學創作活動，終其一生。著有《紫簫記》(後改為《紫釵記》)、《牡丹亭》(又名還魂記)、《南柯記》、《邯鄲記》(合稱為「臨川四夢」)；詩文《玉茗堂四夢》、《玉茗堂文集》及小說《續虞初新志》等。

Tang Xianzu was a native of Linchuan, Jiangxi and his career as an official consisted principally of low-level positions. He failed his first two imperial examinations because he refused to join the camp of the prime minister Chang Chu-cheng. In 1583, he became a successful candidate in the imperial exams. But he still would not ingratiate himself with the new prime minister. As a result, he was only given a nominal post in Nanjing. In 1591, he wrote a petition exposing the long-standing abuses of the government and criticizing the imperial court and officials, which led to his demotion and transfer to Guangdong. Later, he was transferred to Zheqiang and became a county magistrate. In the end, disillusioned with the corrupt court, Tang resigned and returned to his hometown. He retired in 1598 and focused on writing. His major plays are collectively called The Four Dreams, because of the decisive role dreams play in the plot of each one. All of them are still performed (in scenes, or in adapted full versions) on the Chinese Kun opera (kunqu) stage.