2002年版《牡丹亭》英文全譯本（第二版）湯顯祖 著、白之（Cyril Birch）譯 The Peony Pavilion: Mudan ting, Second Edition byTang Xianzu Translated by Cyril Birch Indiana University Press 2002 Paperback

內容簡介 / Synopsis

《牡丹亭》（The Peony Pavilion / Mudan ting）由明代著名劇作家湯顯祖於1598年創製，是中國古代戲曲史上最偉大的浪漫主義傑作之一，亦是傳奇（崑劇）的頂峰之作。全劇共五十五出，講述了太守之女杜麗娘在後花園中夢見書生柳夢梅，因傷情而逝，死後化為幽魂尋覓真愛，最終在柳夢梅的深情呼喚與掘墓救贖下起死回生、終成眷屬的傳奇故事。本書收錄了西方漢學界最富盛名的英文全譯本，由加州大學伯克利分校著名漢學大師白之（Cyril Birch）傾力譯就，不僅精準捕捉了原著的優雅與抒情，更將其中細膩的市井幽默與市井百態展現得淋漓盡致。

Written in 1598 by the legendary Ming dynasty dramatist Tang Xianzu, The Peony Pavilion (Mudan ting) stands as a towering masterpiece of traditional Chinese vernacular literature and the crown jewel of chuanqi (Kunqu) opera. Spanning fifty-five intricate scenes, it chronicles the epic, transcendent love story of Bridal Du (Du Liniang), a cloistered maiden who falls lovesick and dies after a passionate dream encounter with the young scholar Liu Mengmei. Unbound by death, her wandering spirit continues her romance from beyond the grave, leading to her literal resurrection when Liu courageously unearths her tomb. This volume presents the definitive English translation by the renowned Agassiz Professor Emeritus of Chinese at UC Berkeley, Cyril Birch, who brilliantly captures all the sweeping elegance, vivid lyricism, and subtle, earthy humor of Tang Xianzu’s panoramic vision of Ming society.

歷史背景與重要性 / Historical Background & Significance

自印第安納大學出版社（Indiana University Press）於1980年首次出版白之教授的譯本以來，該版本便被國際學術界公認為《牡丹亭》西方傳播的「黃金標準」。進入21世紀後，隨著多部全本《牡丹亭》崑劇在世界各大舞台巡迴演出的轟動，主辦方與學術界對該譯本提出了現代演藝與全新學術視角的呼喚。此第二版（2002年版）應運而生，不仅由白之教授親自修訂了部分譯文並撰寫了新序言，更歷史性地加入了著名東亞戲劇學者施德玉（Catherine Swatek）撰寫的長篇導言。施德玉教授結合了20世紀末至21世紀初《牡丹亭》在國際舞台上的多種先鋒性與爭議性演出案例，探討了文本在當代跨文化語境中的舞台詮釋，使得這一版本成為兼具文學欣賞與現代戲劇研究價值的必讀文獻。

When Indiana University Press first released Cyril Birch’s translation in 1980, it immediately became the definitive gateway for Western audiences to experience Tang Xianzu's magnum opus. Over the following decades, several spectacular and internationally heralded productions revived interest in staging the play in its entirety. This updated Second Edition (2002) was meticulously revised to reflect these contemporary theatrical developments. It features a new preface by Cyril Birch alongside a comprehensive introduction by Asian Studies scholar Catherine Swatek. Swatek's expansive analysis examines contemporary global staging interpretations and the intricate politics of cross-cultural theatrical collaborations, bridging the gap between classical Ming textual traditions and 21st-century stagecraft. It is a vital resource for scholars of East Asian studies, comparative literature, and theater history.

書本狀態說明 / Condition Report

 版本與裝訂： 美國印第安納大學出版社出版，2002年修訂第二版平裝本（Paperback Second Edition）。

 外觀狀況： 整體品相優良。封面採用清代名家石濤於1698年所繪的經典《牡丹圖》硬紙平裝，色彩保存良好，視覺效果典雅。書脊處有輕微、自然的閱讀摺痕，四角伴有些許細微的存放與摩擦痕跡，但整體書體方正、結構非常扎實，無脫頁。

 內頁狀況： 內頁品相極佳。紙張呈現自然的輕微歲月感，全書排版清爽，文字清晰。內頁完全乾淨，沒有任何個人的劃線、螢光筆標記、塗鴉或藏書章印。插頁配有精美的古代木刻版畫《肅苑》、《驚夢》等翻印圖，線條清晰完整。

 Edition & Binding: Published by Indiana University Press, revised Second Edition (2002), paperback format.

 Exterior Condition: Overall in very good vintage condition. The softcover features a gorgeous Qing dynasty cover illustration ("Peonies," attributed to Shitao, ca. 1698), retaining its artistic clarity and color depth. The spine shows natural, light reading creases, and the edges exhibit minor, age-appropriate shelf wear. The binding remains perfectly square, solid, and structurally intact.

 Interior Condition: Excellent and clean interior copy. The pages show uniform, mild age-toning but are exceptionally crisp. The text block is entirely free of personal markings, highlighting, underlining, or library stamps. The vintage woodblock print illustrations within the text remain sharp and cleanly preserved.