Global InformationWang Zijia information
Wang Zijia (Chinese: 王紫稼; pinyin: Wáng Zǐjià or Chinese: 王子嘉; pinyin: Wáng Zǐjiā, 1622–1657[1]) or Wang Zijie (Chinese: 王子玠; pinyin: Wáng Zǐjiè), born Wang Jia (Chinese: 王稼; pinyin: Wáng Jià), was a Chinese kunqu actor of the Ming–Qing transition who played dan roles (i.e. he impersonated women). He "mesmerize[d] a new generation of youths after the fall of the Ming" and befriended some of the leading scholars such as Gong Dingzi, Qian Qianyi, and Wu Weiye.[2]
Originally from Suzhou, Wang first joined the household troupe of the scholar-official Xu Qian. After the Ming government disbanded Xu's troupe, Wang joined the household troupe of Xu's nemesis Tu Guobao before heading to Beijing to try his luck.[3]
When he returned from Beijing, Wang Zijia was flogged to death on the order of the Suzhou censor Lin Senxian (林森先) — who was his admirer[4] but also a "moral zealot"[3] — for allegedly corruption morality.
- ^ Volpp, p. 134.
- ^ Volpp, p. 168.
- ^ a b Stevenson, Mark; Wu Cuncun, eds. (2013). Homoeroticism in Imperial China: A Sourcebook. Routledge. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-415-55144-1.
- ^ Volpp, p. 173.