Li Yu, who lived in the Suzhou region, was a famous dramatist in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Scholarly discussions always focus on his social and historical dramas, with an emphasis on their realistic style. However, none of them focus on the aspect of his dramatic adaptations, which is evident throughout his works. There are three major types of adaptation: the first type is adapted from historical materials, the second is adapted from literary works, and the third is a combination of the two. It is noteworthy that the two latter types are more prolific among his works. Based on literary works, folklores and unofficial historical records, which he massively collected, Li Yu created many new dramas. Although influenced by the scholastic historicism of the time, his adaptatio...[ Read more ]

Li Yu, who lived in the Suzhou region, was a famous dramatist in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Scholarly discussions always focus on his social and historical dramas, with an emphasis on their realistic style. However, none of them focus on the aspect of his dramatic adaptations, which is evident throughout his works. There are three major types of adaptation: the first type is adapted from historical materials, the second is adapted from literary works, and the third is a combination of the two. It is noteworthy that the two latter types are more prolific among his works. Based on literary works, folklores and unofficial historical records, which he massively collected, Li Yu created many new dramas. Although influenced by the scholastic historicism of the time, his adaptations display a masterly manipulation of historical materials, characteristic of imagination and amazement. Unlimited by the original sources, his adaptations have a variety of new elements. Thus, this research will focus on Li Yu's dramatic adaptations, in order to re-evaluate his works. By comparing the similarities and differences between his adaptations and their sources, we will be able to learn more about the characteristics of Li Yu's works.