This play,by Wang Shifu of the Yuan Dynasty(1271—1368),is a gem of Chinese classical drama and a masterpiece of Chinese literature. The main theme of the play is the love between a young scholar named Zhang Gong and Cui Yingying(or Oriole),nineteen-year-old daughter of former Prime Minister Cui.Divided into five acts and twenty scenes, it deals with the conflict between love and family honor,and ends by a reconciliation between them,that is,the hero should win honor in the examinations so that both love and honor can be preserved.
