The Study Of Religious Topic Operas During The Mid And Later Period Of The Ming Dynasty

The mid and later period of the Ming dynasty is a very important historical period for the study of the thought and literary history of China. The religious life is a important part of people's social life of the Ming dynasty. As the literary writers, intellectuals began to pay attention to individual of value and self-awareness.The mid and later period of the Ming dynasty is the peak period of religious topic operas. We could find the strong impact of the writer's experience in many religious topic operas. By the main target and the significance of the theme, religious topic operas could be divided into Dutuo'operas and secular custom's operas. On the case of Dutuo' operas, Many tradition Dutuo's operas of Buddhism and Taoism were written. Part of operas carried forward the traditions which proving principle of Buddhism and Taoism yet, there were great difference between of the operas that were written by the scholars and the Xianfo Operas in the first period Ming Dynasty. Increasing religious theory,plot of the operas,common views and satirize in the whole operas, were important characteristics of the Dutuo's operas of Buddhism and Taoism during the mid and later period of the Ming Dynasty. Tulong was a important writer because his operas reflected his religious experience. On the case of secular custom's operas, with the development of Buddhism and Taoism, as special populations, monks,nuns and M-crowns's life and psychology became main target of the religious topic operas. There was a new significance of these characteristics with new society. the figures usually reflected the relations between desire of human beings and religious precepts. Besides, some religious topic operas reflected the impact of civil religions to ordinary people.Most of religious topic operas were write from the literary stories before. "The dream of butterfly","The Honglian and the Liucui","Mulian save his mother" are several prototypes. Especially Mulian's operas, it found a reasonable way to solve the problems that happened in the course of spreading in China, and it closely linked to secular life of China.Besides, concept of Buddhism and Taoism also could affect narrative way of operas. Such as "Karma","Ye" of Buddhism; "immortal thoughts","Zheshi thoughts" of Taoism, all afforded the references for creation of operas.