Wu Zao (1799 – 1862 or 1863) is one of the best-known female poets of the Qing dynasty era in China.
Poetess and playwright
Few elements of Wu Zao's life have come down to us. She was born in Renhe (now Hangzhou), on the Chinese coast, during the Qing dynasty. Daughter of a merchant, she was later married to a businessman named Huang. Her contemporaries point out that “her husband and father had never looked at a book” .
Wu Zao writes poetry and drama. She is reputed to be one of the best authors of ci poetry. , a sung form of Chinese poetry. She leaves two collections:Hualian ci and Xiangnan xuebei ci . Wu Zao is also renowned for her skills on the guqin, a traditional stringed instrument. Playwright, she writes a zaju , a theater-opera play.
The Portrait
The Portrait (Qiaoying , also known as Yinjiu jusao , “Reading Li sao while drinking “), the zaju composed by Wu Zao, is interested in one act in the condition of women. The main character, Xie Xucai (whose name refers to the woman of letters of the 4 e century Xie Daoyun), who likes to dress as a man, complains that his gender prevents him from expressing his talents and ambitions.
Performed on stage, with a male actor in the role of Xie Xucai, the play will be published in 1825.
"Read The Dream in the Red Pavilion"
Why would you want to patch up the sky
When you can absorb your soul in the depths of the red flag ?
Fragrant kingfisher.
The foolish girl and the foolish boy, I'm afraid they'll never wake up —
Every day, sowing their seeds of love with bitterness.
Which of them, I ask
Is the real real seed of love?
The stubborn stone has sentience but the sylph has misfortune;
Their three existences collect sadness and tears of wax.
Suddenly it ends like this
The dream of supreme emptiness.