龚蓉，北京外国语大学英语语言文学博士，现就职于中国社会科学院外国文学研究所，副研究员，主要研究领域为文艺复兴时期英国戏剧，曾发表《中国社会科学院〈克雷蒙复仇记〉：政治化的殉道者阴影下的公共人》等论文，参与翻译贝克特小说集《无法继续》与《短篇集》。

　　《昆曲-桃花扇/中国戏曲海外传播工程丛书》是“中国戏曲海外传播工程丛书”系列中的一本，该系列以英文图书的形式向海外读者介绍中国戏曲文化，由多部代表剧目构成。全剧以侯方域、李香君的悲欢离合为主线，展现了明末南京的社会现实，同时也揭露了弘光政权衰亡的原因，以男女爱情来写国家兴亡，是此剧的一大特色：
　　Li Xiangjun：
　　My lord！
　　Hou Fangyu： [Self-mockingly]
　　I， Hou Fangyu， a dignified man， have proven myself easy prey to manipulation as the trousseau exposed my weakness. How shameful！ How am I going to face you again！
　　Li Xiangjun：
　　Why would you say that you did not give me a trousseau? What did you throw upstairs the other day?
　　Hou Fangyu：
　　My jade pendant.

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