周憲王朱有燉《誠齋雜劇》所收錄的三十一部作品歷來獲得極高評價，多數學者包括吳梅等人均認為其堪稱明代第一劇作家。憲王雖得此美譽，然後世學者對其劇作之討論仍集中於排場結構等藝術層面，極少論及作品的主旨內容。因此，筆者對此三十一部作品的主旨進行考察，發現三十一部劇作中即有十九部與「宗教劇」相關，幾古全數的三分之二。這十九部的宗教性劇作非但是《誠齋雜劇》的核心，同時也影響了元明「宗教劇」的發展與演變。筆者透過對此十九部作品內容的分析討論，發現憲王對「宗教劇」文類發展的最大貢獻在於：其新創具有祝賀功能的「慶賀劇」，而此類型之宗教劇打破了元代「度脫劇」在宗教性劇作中獨盛的情形，為宗教劇的類型與領域開拓了新的方向。憲王慶賀劇的創作手法一方面襲用了元代「度脫劇」的題材與架構，但巧變其中人物與情節，使其基調由苦悶轉為歡樂，以符合慶賀目的；另一方面則新造了禮請諸神赴宴祝壽的「請神祝賀」模式。這一模式不但增加了神仙賜福的儀式性功能，同時也造就一批以西主母、八仙其中心的祝壽性神仙集團。憲王的作品廣受喜愛且流傳久遠，因此後世的慶賀雜劇幾乎脫離不了憲王的模式，如宮廷教坊劇的創作與演出幾乎完全模擬憲王「慶賀劇」而成。這顯雜劇的功能性強，娛樂性高，於是逐漸取代度脫劇的強勢地位，在慶賀、祝壽場合不斷地被搬演，甚至有劇末祝壽情節被直接截取為純儀式性的劇目，以配合民間廟會節慶演出，至今仍盛行不轍。

The Cbengzbai zaju contains thrity-one plays by Zhu Youdun, Prince Xian of Zhou, which have been highly acclaimed by critics of different times. Most scholars, such as Wu Mei, regard Zhu as the most important playwright in the Ming dynasty. However, Zhu’s plays are mainly discussed from their aesthetical values (structure of mise-en-scene) rather than their contents and their underlying meaning. Having studied all these thirty-one plays I discovered nineteen of them are religion-related. These nineteen plays consist of the core of the corpus of the Cbengzbai zaju and play an important part in the development of religious drama of the Yuan and Ming dynasties. By analyzing these nineteen plays, I find the most significant contribution of Zhu’s to the development of religious drama is his innovation of “festive plays.” Festive plays, with the purpose of festival celebration, challenge the monopoly of “dutuo plays” (Deliverance plays) and offer a new direction in the development of religious drama. Zhu adopts the structure and materials of dutuo plays of the Yuan dynasty but alters the characteriza­tion and plot structure, in order to fit in the atmosphere of festivals. He also changes the tragic tone of dutuo plays to a joyful one of festive plays, and creates a new act of “Blessings of All Gods,” an episode of inviting all gods to attend the festival and bestow blessings. This new act, presenting an image of a group of benevolent gods lead by Xiwangmu (Goddess of the west) and Baxian (The eight immortals), reinforces the ritual function of gods’ blessing. Zhu’s plays are very popular and long lived. They have become models for later festive plays, such as court plays in their writings and productions. They gradually replaced dutuo plays and have repeatedly been put on in all occasions of festivities and celebrations. Until these days, some celebrations episodes are even excerpted for use in all kinds of temple festival rituals.