Innovation Humanities and Social Sciences Research (IHSSR)

Publisher:ISCCAC

A Study on the Dramatic Function of Supporting Characters Under the Perspective of Sentimental Noumenon Taking Yang Miaozhen in The Peony Pavilion as an Example
Volume 21, Issue 5, 2025
Authors

Qiumin Chen

Corresponding Author

Qiumin Chen

Publishing Date

July 24, 2025

Keywords

Sentimental noumenon, Supporting role, The Peony Pavilion, Yang Miaozhen, Clown, Narratology.

Abstract

In The Peony Pavilion, Tang Xianzu utters the idealistic cry that "The living may die, the dead may quicken." This Kunqu Opera revolves around the legendary love story of a couple in turbulent times. Compared to the narrative structure of the story The Resurrection of Du Li-Niang, Tang Xianzu adds a subplot involving Li Quan and Yang Miaozhen, who attack the Huaiyang region of the Southern Song Dynasty, forming a mirror image contrast with the main characters. This article combines historical facts and analyzes the dramatic function of Yang Miaozhen from the perspectives of narratology, semiotic functionalism, and stage performance, providing theoretical supplements for the study of Tang Xianzu. 

Copyright

© 2025, the Authors. Published by ISCCAC

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license