"桃花扇" by Kong Shangren is a musical play completed in 1699 after more than ten years of effort. This historical drama in 44 scenes depicts the 1644 collapse of the Ming dynasty through the love story of young scholar Hou Fangyu and courtesan Li Xiangjun. Set against the backdrop of the reformist Restoration Society fighting corruption, the play interweaves romance with political intrigue as corrupt officials plot to seize power. Called "China's greatest historical drama," it exposes official corruption and moral decay while celebrating those who stand for justice. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
These books are free to read. Each is in the public domain in the United States; check your own country's rules before you copy or share one.
