Ruan Dacheng 1587-1646

Notable dramatist and poet of the late-Ming dynasty. Ruan was born in Huaining, Anhui and came from a politically-prominent family. He himself associated with Wei Zhongxian, one of the most powerful and notorious eunuchs in Chinese history. When Wei fell, Ruan was deprived of all his titles, forced to live in retirement and publicly denounced for his former political connections. His best-known play is Yanzi jian [The swallow letter], a convoluted tale of romance with a happy ending.

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