Tang Xianzu was the most famous and influential playwright and literary master of the Ming Dynasty. He had a prominent role in the history of both Chinese and world literature, and has been called the Oriental Shakespeare. Tang Xianzu was a master with many accomplishments. His most outstanding achievements were his plays. His dramatic masterpieces were popular even in England, Japan, Germany and Russia
Background
Tang was a native of Linchuan, Jiangxi and his career as an official consisted principally of low-level positions. He successfully participated in the Provincial examinations at the age of 21 and at the imperial examinations at the age of 34. He held official positions in Nanjing, Zhejiang province, Guangdong province etc.. He retired in 1598 and returned to his hometown where he focused on writing.
Education
Tang Xianzu became a scholar at the age of 21. He displayed his talents at the age of 12, became a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level at the age of 21, and a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations at the age of 34. He served as officials in Nanjing of Zhejiang Province, Guangdong Province and so on. At 48, he abdicated his official post and returned to his hometown.
Career
As a righteous man he was too honest and stubborn to be welcomed in official circles. At the age of 34, he became a metropolitan graduate and held various official posts. In AD 1591 he tried to expose corruption among the bureaucrats by sending a petition to impeach some authorities. He subsequently enraged the emperor and was demoted to governor of Suichang County in Zhejiang. In AD 1598 he resigned out of anger, and devoted his time to writing operas and poems