The development and evolution of Ming Dynasty traditional drama language art theories – the theory of Dang Hang Ben Se and the theory of Ci Fa Shuang Mei

The goal of this project is to probe the development and evolution of these
two major subject matters, as well as the content of their theories. The writer
believes that the two must be covered in the same breadth, in search of the lines of
their interconnections, in order to have a firm grasp of a complete view of Ming
Dynasty language art theories; at the same time, only through this means can the
relationship between the history of traditional drama theories and the history of
traditional drama development be observed.
In the past, studies concerned with the development and evolution of the
theory of Ci Fa Shuang Mei have been relatively few, and those attempting to
examine the Ming Dynasty theory of Dang Hang Ben Se and the theory of Ci Fa
Shuang Mei together have been even fewer. Therefore, in an attempt to blaze a
trail on this subject matter, the writer hopes to be able to surpass the limitations of
the “Tang-Shen debate” and extend the scope of study to the comprehensive level
of traditional drama language art theories. This project takes the following as
discussion material: Ming Dynasty traditional drama theories (Ci Lun), reviews
comprising of critiques on possibly several traditional dramas (Ci Hua), prologues
and epilogues (Xu Ba), critiques on a single traditional drama (Ci Pin), and
running commentaries written on the upper margin of original manuscripts (Ping
Dian). This study remains grounded in historical research methods and analyzes
the different foci of concern of various critics, at the same time presenting the
development of these points of concern in the history of traditional drama
critiques.