A Monk and a Nun Commit a Sin Together: Feng Weimin's Play and Its Three Transformations

Feng Weimin's zaju play Seng ni gong fan (A Monk and a Nun Commit a Sin Together) broke away from the canonical zaju tradition while preserving some of its elements. Feng's language created strong characters and modified well-known sayings and images, for original effect. Feng gave characters strong motivations as he developed the plot. The analysis shows the intention of the text and its ideological focal points, clarifying the influence of Feng's zaju on other Ming theatre genres.