Zang Maoxun dating history

Details

Zang Maoxun (Chinese: 臧懋循; pinyin: Zāng Màoxún; 1550–1620) was a Ming dynasty Chinese playwright and drama theorist from Changxing, Zhejiang province. His courtesy name was Jinshu (晋叔) and he may also be known by the pseudonym (hao), Guzhu (顾渚). He successfully achieved the rank of Jinshi (presented scholar) in 1580 (the 8th year of Ming Wanli). He was matriculated as a local governmental official in Jingzhou, and was later promoted as an officer in Guozijian (国子监) of Nanjing. He knew the Confucian Five Classics well and was a person uninhibited in speech and behaviour. Zang disdained the feudal ethical code and was dissatisfied with affairs of the state. As often pointed out the political problems in the society in the way of poetry at the moment, he was impeached by the imperial court and dismissed from office in 1585 (the 13th year of Wanli). After returning to his hometown, Zang entertained himself with poetry and remained an intimate association with many men of letters. He collected the missing yuanqu and poems. He also published a lot of books, including Selections of Yuanqu, Selections of poems which granted him lasting fame for posterity.