Reviews
An example of the southern, or chuanqi, genre of opera from Ming dynasty China (14th to 17th centuries), The Peony Pavilion, completed in 1598, was Tang's masterpiece and, according to Birch's preface, a profound meditation on the nature of love. Selected scenes have become near necessities of any traditional Chinese opera repertoire. The tale concerns a cloistered girl and young scholar who fall in love in dreams. After the heroine pines away from longing, their devotion transcends death, resulting in her resurrection and a happy union. Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns. With such titles as Stories from a Ming Collection (1958), Scenes for Mandarins (CH, Feb'96), and Mistress & Maid (CH, Jan'02) to his credit, Birch has long been a leading translator of Chinese literature. This second edition of the Birch translation (first edition, CH, Mar'81) includes revisions of the translation; a preface in which Birch provides a general introduction to the drama; and a fascinating introduction by Catherine Swatek (Univ. of British Columbia), in which she introduces three recent productions of Peony Pavilion. All levels.--C. D. Smith, Grand Valley State University"Choice" (01/01/2002), "Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns...." -Choice, October 2002, Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns. . . . October 2002, " . . . [a] superb adaptation of one of the more complex pieces of traditional Chinese vernacular literature . . . a sapphire in the crown of chuanqi drama, a play the Ulster of which shines undimmed in Cyril Birch's lively rendition." --Journal of Asian Studies"Birch has the exuberance needed for Tang Xianzu's work, and without distortion he finds in Tang's cast of minor characters . . . a host of echoes of Shakespearean comedy and Shakespearean diction. . . . [a] profound text in English that speaks to an audience of intelligent lay people as a work of artistic integrity rather than one of exotic chinoiserie."--New York Review of BooksA Choice Outstanding Academic Book of 1981., "Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns...." -- Choice, October 2002, "An example of the southern, or chuanqi, genre of opera from Ming dynasty China (14th to 17th centuries), The Peony Pavilion, completed in 1598, was Tang's masterpiece and, according to Birch's preface, a profound meditation on the nature of love. Selected scenes have become near necessities of any traditional Chinese opera repertoire. The tale concerns a cloistered girl and young scholar who fall in love in dreams. After the heroine pines away from longing, their devotion transcends death, resulting in her resurrection and a happy union. Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns. With such titles as Stories from a Ming Collection (1958), Scenes for Mandarins (CH, Feb'96), and Mistress & Maid (CH, Jan'02) to his credit, Birch has long been a leading translator of Chinese literature. This second edition of the Birch translation (first edition, CH, Mar'81) includes revisions of the translation; a preface in which Birch provides a general introduction to the drama; and a fascinating introduction by Catherine Swatek (Univ. of British Columbia), in which she introduces three recent productions of Peony Pavilion. All levels."--C. D. Smith, Grand Valley State University, Choice , October 2002 "Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns. . . . October 2002"-- Choice, An example of the southern, or chuanqi, genre of opera from Ming dynasty China (14th to 17th centuries), The Peony Pavilion, completed in 1598, was Tang's masterpiece and, according to Birch's preface, a profound meditation on the nature of love. Selected scenes have become near necessities of any traditional Chinese opera repertoire. The tale concerns a cloistered girl and young scholar who fall in love in dreams. After the heroine pines away from longing, their devotion transcends death, resulting in her resurrection and a happy union. Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns. With such titles as Stories from a Ming Collection (1958), Scenes for Mandarins (CH, Feb'96), and Mistress & Maid (CH, Jan'02) to his credit, Birch has long been a leading translator of Chinese literature. This second edition of the Birch translation (first edition, CH, Mar'81) includes revisions of the translation; a preface in which Birch provides a general introduction to the drama; and a fascinating introduction by Catherine Swatek (Univ. of British Columbia), in which she introduces three recent productions of Peony Pavilion. All levels., Birch (Univ. of California, Berkeley) has captured the beauty and elegance of Tang's original drama, conveying even the humor of subtle puns....
