The Handan Dream

Tang XianzuMar 2016

Rating 4.3
Word count
56K words
Chapters
43

Tags

Classical Literature Linchuan Four DreamsPolitical CareerTang DynastyClassical DramaImmortal GuidanceGolden Millet DreamIllusion of FameWealth as DreamSatirical Work

Summary

The Handan Dream is one of the "Four Dreams of Linchuan" by the celebrated Ming dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu. Adapted from the Tang dynasty tale The World Inside a Pillow, it retells the famous story of "a dream of yellow millet." The impoverished scholar Lu Sheng encounters the immortal Lü Dongbin at a small inn in Handan. Longing for wealth and honor, Lu Sheng is given a porcelain pillow and falls asleep, experiencing a series of triumphs and trials amid the storms of official life. When he finally awakens, the yellow millet porridge the inn servant has been cooking is not yet done.

Editor's review

The Handan Dream is one of Tang Xianzu's "Four Dreams of Linchuan," drawn from the Tang tale "The World Inside a Pillow"—the "yellow millet dream." It renders Lu Sheng's ups and downs in officialdom within a single dream at an inn with both turbulence and absurdity; when the dream ends, the yellow millet rice is not yet cooked, creating a strong temporal contrast and a satirical allegory of life. Unlike the supreme passion of The Peony Pavilion, this play leans toward a cold-eyed scrutiny of fame and wealth; its dramatic language combines literary flair with stage viability, and the characters' advances and retreats reveal the complex attitude of Ming literati toward official careers. In reading, one can appreciate both the arias and stagecraft of chuanqi drama and take it as a fable about desire and disillusionment. It suits opera enthusiasts, readers of classical literature, and those who want to understand the overall shape of the "Four Dreams of Linchuan" through a specific work. Those seeking only lively plot may find the dream structure repetitive; those willing to read the arias and stage directions closely will gain more.

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Reading tips

  1. First learn the outline of "The World Inside a Pillow," then read the play, to see Tang Xianzu's adaptations and satire more easily.
  2. Focus on the several turns in Lu Sheng's official career within the dream, noting how the arias evaluate fame and wealth.
  3. Read alongside The Peony Pavilion or other works of the "Four Dreams of Linchuan" to understand different facets of Tang Xianzu.
  4. If using an annotated edition, read the preface and note the annotation conventions before entering the text to reduce comprehension obstacles.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 目录
  3. 公版书总序
  4. 醉吟玉茗堂，日夕梦我归——汤显祖
  5. 黄粱玉枕高谈尽，浮沉荣辱为谁痴——《邯郸记》
  6. 邯郸历史名人表
  7. 正文
  8. 题词
  9. 第一出 标引
  10. 第二出 行田
  11. 第三出 度世
  12. 第四出 入梦
  13. 第五出 招贤
  14. 第六出 赠试
  15. 第七出 夺元
  16. 第八出 骄宴
  17. 第九出 虏动
  18. 第十出 外补
  19. 第十一出 凿郏
  20. 第十二出 边急
  21. 第十三出 望幸
  22. 第十四出 东巡
  23. 第十五出 西谍
  24. 第十六出 大捷
  25. 第十七出 勒功
  26. 第十八出 闺喜
  27. 第十九出 飞语
  28. 第二十出 死窜
  29. 第二十一出 谗快
  30. 第二十二出 备苦
  31. 第二十三出 织恨
  32. 第二十四出 功白
  33. 第二十五出 召还
  34. 第二十六出 杂庆
  35. 第二十七出 极欲
  36. 第二十八出 友叹
  37. 第二十九出 生寤
  38. 第三十出 合仙
  39. 如是我闻
  40. 一、《邯郸记》中经典名句
  41. 二、潇湘八景
  42. 三、明清戏剧作品一览
  43. 四、《枕中记》

FAQ

What is the relationship between The Handan Dream and the "yellow millet dream"? The Handan Dream is drawn from the Tang tale "The World Inside a Pillow," the story of the "yellow millet dream": Lu Sheng meets Lü Dongbin at an inn in Handan, receives a porcelain pillow and enters a dream, experiences the joys and sorrows of officialdom, and wakes before the innkeeper's yellow millet rice is cooked. Tang Xianzu expands this into dramatic elaboration and satire.
Can I read it without having read Tang Xianzu's other works? Yes, it can be read on its own. The play's story is relatively complete, centered on the rise and fall of Lu Sheng's dream. Still, knowing the overall background of the "Four Dreams of Linchuan," or at least the general shape of The Peony Pavilion, makes it easier to appreciate how Tang Xianzu handled passion, dream, and fame differently across works.
Do I need to understand dramatic prosody to read the play? Not necessarily. General readers can first focus on plot, characters, and the general meaning of the arias, using annotations to understand allusions and difficult vernacular passages. For deeper study, learn the role types, stage directions, and tune titles of chuanqi; not knowing prosody does not prevent grasping the satirical theme of the "yellow millet dream."
Is this edition suitable for general readers? The materials only show that the author is Tang Xianzu and the publication year is 2016, without providing the specific annotation format. When choosing, first check whether the preface, annotations, and appendices are complete; general readers should prefer editions with plot summaries, annotations, and background introductions, which lower the reading threshold.

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About the author

Tang Xianzu Author · China · 1550–1616

Tang Xianzu (1550–1616) was a dramatist and man of letters of the Ming dynasty, a native of Linchuan, Jiangxi. His courtesy name was Yireng, and he styled himself Hairuo and Ruoshi, also using the alias Qingyuan Daoren. He passed the metropolitan examination during the Wanli reign, served as magistrate of Suichang, and later resigned to return home and devote himself to writing. His plays The Purple Hairpin, The Peony Pavilion, A Dream under the Southern Bough, and The Handan Dream are collectively known as the Four Dreams of Linchuan, among which The Peony Pavilion is the most celebrated. It tells of the death-defying love between Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei in graceful language and deep feeling, and has long flourished on the stage. Drawing on traditional stories while striking out in new directions, his plays take qing, or feeling, as their core and blend literati refinement with popular theatrical tradition, exerting a profound influence on later drama; he is thus known as the “Shakespeare of the East.” The library holds 22 of his works, including several editions of The Peony Pavilion and the chuanqi plays collected in Sixty Plays.