Studies On The Dramatist Yu Zhi

Yu Zhi was a dramatist who wrote the maximum plays all by himself at the beginning of history of Peking opera literature in the Qing Dynasty, and his florilegium of plays, New Drama of House named Shuji, was an important production between the Dynasty of Daoguang and Xianfeng. However, in the most monograph of the history of Chinese literature and traditional opera, Yu Zhi had almost no literary footing because of his especial political position. Yu Zhi was a gentleman at the end of the Qing Dynasty when great changes were taking place in both society and drama, and his plays were different from both the one-time drama literature and the other Peking opera literature thereafter. This florilegium of plays was an important production of the given period of history of Peking opera literature, in respect that the plays lead the drama to a new field on both the content and format. In addition, his literary viewpoint exercised a great influence on the improvement of drama of aftertime. And at the same time, because of the effect of Confucianism and the wish of admonishing populace and saving the custom, the dramatist casted his bread upon the waters everywhere, wrote many Deuteronomic plays, and helped his government to suppress rebellion time after time which was denounced by many scholars who considered no value of Yu Zhi's plays. Nevertheless, many historical data showed that Yu Zhi's spirit was honorable and his contribution should be thought much of, what with he was an outstanding welldoer who would rather give up his own profit than ideality. Accordingly, the dissertation will research the controversial dramatist on the point of history of drama instead of politics. And my disquisition will give the true characteristic of the playwright as much as possible basing upon prevenient scholars' investigation, historical data, chorography, recordation of drama and the relation between the background of Yu Zhi's life and the development of society, literature and history of that time.