Yuanye

play by Cao Yu

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July 16, 2026

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Yuanye, also known as "The Wilderness," is a play by Cao Yu, a pioneering Chinese playwright. Written in 1937, it is a story of love and revenge that reflects the influence of American playwright Eugene O'Neill. While initially met with criticism, a revised edition in the 1980s received acclaim. Yuanye is considered one of Cao Yu's significant works, contributing to the development of huaju (word drama) in China, a genre influenced by Western theatre.12

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Cao Yu
…film [1938 and 1985]) and Yuanye (1937; rev. ed. 1982; “The Wilderness”; adapted for film [1981]), a story of love and revenge that clearly reflects the influence of American playwright Eugene O’Neill. Most Chinese critics declared Yuanye a failure on its first appearance, but the revised play received critical acclaim…
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…film [1938 and 1985]) and Yuanye (1937; rev. ed. 1982; “The Wilderness”; adapted for film [1981]), a story of love and revenge that clearly reflects the influence of American playwright Eugene O’Neill. Most Chinese critics declared Yuanye a failure on its first appearance, but the revised play received critical acclaim…
Read More