Tang Xianzu

• Born: 1550
• Died: 1616
• Chinese: 湯顯祖 (Tāng Xiǎnzǔ)

Tāng Xiǎnzǔ is perhaps among the most famous of traditional Chinese playwrights; active in the late Ming Dynasty, he was the author of plays such as The Peony Pavilion and The Dream of Handan.

He passed the civil service exams, earning a jinshi degree, but was not successful in a career as an official.

References

• Conrad Schirokauer, et al, A Brief History of Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, Fourth Edition, Cengage Learning (2012), 255.