Drama has long been marginalized by the Chinese literary elite or coopted (rather than appreciated in its own right) by historians into the generalized narratives about China's poetic wen literary tradition. In the English-speaking world, it has been a challenge to teach premodern Chinese drama in translation due to the lack of quality translations and accessible textbooks.
The Columbia Anthology of Yuan Drama is part of the most recent scholarly endeavors to advance the field and make translations of traditional Chinese dramas more readily available, especially translations of the earliest mature form of Chinese drama. A welcome addition to the classroom, this anthology introduces its readers to ten representative works of Yuan drama (also known as northern drama or zaju). The anthology is the culmination of the effort by two generations of sinologists, and has been long in the making. According to Jonathan Chaves, one of the translators, this...
