The Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou is a comprehensive cultural venue built to commemorate Tang Xianzu, one of the world’s hundred great cultural figures and a master of Ming‑dynasty drama in China. It is also one of Jiangxi Province’s ten major memorial halls dedicated to historical luminaries.

Event Information | Professor Zou Zizhen’s Research and Publications, along with a Historical Materials Donation Ceremony and Academic Lecture, Were Successfully Held at Our Institution


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2023-10-21





 

On the morning of October 17, 2023, a themed lecture titled “Tang Xianzu and the Four Dreams of Linchuan—Tang Xianzu Studies on the World Stage,” jointly organized by the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou, the Fuzhou City Museum, and the Wang Anshi Memorial Hall, was successfully held at Qingyuan Tower of the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall. The lecture was honored to welcome Professor Zou Zizhen, a member of the Fujian Provincial Institute of Literature and History, Vice President of the Institute of Literature and History, and professor at the School of Humanities of Minjiang College, as the keynote speaker. Professors Zou is widely erudite and prolific, having published nearly thirty scholarly works, including “A Comprehensive Study of Tang Xianzu,” “Commentary on The Peony Pavilion,” and “An In-depth Exploration of Tang Xianzu and Ming–Qing Literature,” as well as more than 300 academic papers. His edited series, “The Complete Collection of Tang Xianzu’s Dramas” (annotated edition, five volumes), along with other research publications, has received provincial-level awards for outstanding achievements. He spent over twenty years teaching and nurturing students in Fuzhou, regarding the city as his second hometown.
 

        
———————————————————— Donation Ceremony



Prior to the lecture, a ceremony was held to commemorate Professor Zou Zizhen’s scholarly contributions and the donation of historical materials. Director Rao Fang delivered a speech on behalf of our institution and accepted the donation, while Lei Yinyuan, Secretary of the Party Branch, presented Professor Zou with a certificate of appreciation. With the accession of this valuable collection, our museum will fully leverage its contemporary value in preserving history for policy guidance and education, delving deeply into Tang Xianzu’s humanistic spirit, moral principles, and core values. This will accelerate the creative transformation and innovative development of Tang Xianzu culture, bolster the promotion of the “Cultural Fuzhou: Vessel of Dreams” brand, and enable Tang Xianzu culture to shine with renewed vitality in the modern era.



  

 
Subsequently, the guests in attendance and numerous scholars of Tang Xianzu’s works jointly listened to a keynote lecture. Tang Xianzu’s operas are masterpieces not only in the history of Chinese theater but also on the world stage. Since 2001, when Chinese Kunqu Opera was inscribed by UNESCO as a Representative Element of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Tang Xianzu’s plays, as quintessential examples of Kunqu, have assumed an increasingly significant role in both Chinese and global cultural life. The study of Tang Xianzu has now evolved into a truly international field of scholarship. Among the Four Dreams of Linchuan, it is “The Peony Pavilion” that has exerted the greatest influence and firmly established Tang Xianzu’s reputation as one of the towering figures of ancient Chinese opera. Bridging the legacy of “The West Chamber” and paving the way for “Dream of the Red Chamber,” “The Peony Pavilion” stands as a monumental peak in the tradition of Chinese Romantic literature, remaining continuously on stage for more than four centuries. With the worldwide touring of the youth‑oriented Kunqu production of “The Peony Pavilion,” Tang Xianzu and his masterpiece are journeying from the realm of classical beauty into the vibrancy of contemporary youth.
 



 

Fuzhou and Fuzhou Prefecture are both designated National Historical and Cultural Cities, each boasting a profound cultural heritage and a wealth of historical luminaries. Moving forward, our institution will strengthen its collaboration with Professor Zou Zizhen to jointly advance cultural exchanges and cooperation between Fuzhou and Fuzhou Prefecture, thereby fostering the development of cultural undertakings in both locales. This lecture holds significant value in promoting Fuzhou Prefecture’s distinguished theatrical tradition and in amplifying the influence of Tang Xianzu and his “Four Dreams of Linchuan.”