Exhibition Information | The Exchange Exhibition “The Four Dreams of Linchuan—Tang Xianzu’s Life and Theatre” Arrives at the Chancheng District Museum in Foshan City

Tang Xianzu (1550–1616), a native of Linchuan in Jiangxi (present-day Fuzhou, Jiangxi), was a renowned dramatist and literary figure of the Ming dynasty. He was named one of the World’s Hundred Cultural Celebrities by UNESCO and is often hailed as the “Shakespeare of the East.” Throughout his life, he composed more than 2,200 poems, penned nearly 700 prose works and letters, and left behind the celebrated “Four Dreams of Linchuan”—The Peony Pavilion, The Purple Hairpin, The Story of the Southern Pillow, and The Tale of Handan—which stand as his most outstanding masterpieces.

Tang Xianzu (1550-1616)

“The Four Dreams of Linchuan” uses dreams to explore the human condition, portrays the deepest emotions of the mortal world, critiques autocratic Confucian orthodoxy, and restores the radiant light of human nature. For four centuries, it has remained a perennial favorite, adapted for the stage by numerous theatrical traditions—including Kunqu, Cantonese opera, Peking opera, Yue opera, and Chaozhou opera—and continues to shine on Chinese opera stages today.

Stage still from the 20th-anniversary production of the youth-oriented Kunqu opera “The Peony Pavilion”

September 2024, photographed by Xinhua News Agency.

This exhibition, “The Four Dreams of Linchuan: Tang Xianzu—Life and Theatre,” draws on a wealth of artifacts and meticulous historical materials to present a comprehensive portrait of Tang Xianzu’s life, his theatrical achievements, his cultural influence, and his enduring value as part of humanity’s cultural heritage, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the profound allure of his dramatic works.

Exhibition Duration

November 13, 2025 – February 8, 2026

Temporary Exhibition Hall of the Foshan Ancient Town Historical Landscape Exhibition Hall

Organizing entity

Guangdong Museum (Guangzhou Lu Xun Memorial Hall)

Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall, Fuzhou City

Jiangxi Dayu County Museum

Organizing Unit

Guangdong Provincial Mobile Museum

Foshan City, Chancheng District Museum