The Western Wing, where Cui Yingying awaited the moon

"The Western Wing, where Cui Yingying awaited the moon" is a play that tells a story as old as the world itself — about the love between a girl and a young man, whose feelings are not hindered by distance, tradition, or social boundaries. However, through this work, Wang Shifu entered the pantheon of the greatest Chinese playwrights of all time. The place occupied by "The Western Wing" in Chinese culture is equivalent to that occupied by Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" in European culture. Only Wang Shifu's play has a happy ending.
"The Western Wing" has had a tremendous influence on the development of Chinese drama and literature, and for seven hundred years, it has not left the stage of Chinese theater. The play was attempted to be banned for its "immorality," but, like its heroes, it overcame all obstacles to reach audiences, listeners, and readers. For several centuries, the story of Yingying and Zhang Gong has consistently inspired artists. Plots from the play adorned ceramics, fabrics, screens, and scrolls. And, of course, books containing the text of "The Western Wing" often came with illustrations — some of which are included in this edition.
In Russian, the drama is published in the classical translation by the renowned sinologist Lev Menchikov, along with an article and commentary in the book.