Chapter I
Historical Background:Eunuchs, Anti-eunuchism, and the Decline of the Ming Dynasty _ 1
1. The Ming Reconstruction of Ancient Chinese Administrative System _ 2
2. The Ascendancy of Ming Eunuchs _ 4
3. Anti-eunuchism, the Donglin Party, Wei Zhongxian,and the Revival Society _ 9
4. Peasant Rebellions, Li Zicheng and His Peasant Armies, and Manchus _ 16
5. The Establishment and Fall of the Southern Ming Dynasty _ 21
Chapter II
Kong Shangren and The Peach Blossom Fan _ 32
1. Kong Shangren and the Composition of The Peach Blossom Fan _ 32
2. The Historicity of The Peach Blossom Fan and Its Structural Features _ 38
3. The Spread of the Play _ 44
Chapter III
Aspects of the Play _ 63
1. Major Characters in the Play and Their Prototypes _ 63
2. A Detailed Synopsis of the Original Play _ 79
The Peach Blossom Fan _ 124
Appendix: Kunqu Opera ABC _ 183
Works Consulted and Cited _ 233
About the Author _ 237
