Kong Shangren
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Kong Shangren (Chinese: 孔尚任; pinyin: Kǒng Shàngrèn; Wade–Giles: K'ung3 Shang4-jen4; 1648–1718) was a Qing dynasty dramatist and poet best known for his chuanqi play The Peach Blossom Fan[1] about the last days of the Ming dynasty.[2]
Kong Shangren | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1648 |
| Died | 1718 (aged 69–70) |
| Notable work | The Peach Blossom Fan |
Born in Qufu, Kong was a 64th-generation descendant of Confucius.[1] He guided the Kangxi Emperor when he visited Qufu.
The Peach Blossom Fan tells the story of the love story between the scholar Hou Fangyu and the courtesan Li Xiangjun,[3] against the dramatic backdrop of the short history of the Southern Ming. It remains a favourite of the Kun opera (kunqu) stage.
Kong Shangren is known as the author of a curious poem dedicated to the eyeglasses, a Western innovation brought to Macau by the Portuguese.[4]
