Macao in The Peony Pavilion

Macao in The Peony Pavilion

CHENG Cheng DAI Baisheng

Abstract: Despite extensive research on The Peony Pavilion as a masterpiece of Chinese opera, the landmark Macao mentioned in its original text remains an underexplored area. This article focuses on the pivotal historical event of Tang Xianzu’s detour through Macao during his banishment to the Lingnan region. By reconstructing his itinerary and observations in Macao and examining their literary transformation, this study conducts a close reading of his travel poetry and resituates it within the historical context of early Sino-Western trade and religious propagation in Macao. This approach restores the creative context of his work and analyzes how his Macao journey shaped his ideological outlook profoundly. The article argues that Tang Xianzu’s exposure to the confluence of Chinese and Western cultures in Macao enabled him to perceive the universal humanity underlying different civilizations, particularly a shared recognition of “qing”. This insight helped shape his idea of “ultimate qing”, a central belief that deeply influenced how The Peony Pavilion was written, including its story structure and characters like Liu Mengmei. 

Key words: The Peony Pavilion; Tang Xianzu; Macao; ultimate qing

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