湯顯祖劇作最臻成熟之《牡丹亭》、《南柯記》和《邯鄲記》，密集完成於 萬曆二十六至二十九年間。若對其詩文書信作較為全面的梳理，可以發現自 萬曆十九年向神宗諫言失敗後，湯顯祖的生命重心乃有所轉折。其貶謫初 期，頻頻採取懺悔的修辭，從罪臣兼地方官吏的身份，發表自我感悟及闡揚 「天性」的言說。但看似返向內省、時自惕厲的同時，傷感卻也難以掩藏。 其胸中塊壘不銷，則排遣抑鬱的需求，便注定和內省反思的歷程相詰並存。 而戲曲「小文」或「民間小作」的性質，即恰好為種種規範、顧忌下之真性 情、真話語，或對真實自我、世界的想像，提供舒展弛放的場域。並且這三 齣以「情」為角色核心的戲劇，都同樣指向「主人翁」何在的求索。因此湯 氏劇作除了關涉娛樂和生計，當不乏對生存實相的揣摩與觀照。本文將試圖 從張力浮現的主要成因和場域，說明湯氏思想、心態的曲折變化，並為其戲 劇創作巔峰期的屆臨，提供可能的理解途徑。

This paper discusses Tang Hsien-tsu’s (湯顯祖) self-transition, his changing relationship with the world, and his deepened inclination to introspection after his fall from grace in 1591. This paper takes 1591 as a turning point in Tang’s life and thought, presenting Tang’s removal from his official position as a possible reason for the timing of Tang’s peak period of playwriting. After Tang was removed from his official position, he used playwriting to express his feelings. In his plays, Tang allowed his imagination full reign without boundaries. His most mature works—“The Peony Pavilion” (牡丹亭), “Nan-k’o Chi” (南柯記), and “Han-tan Chi” (邯鄲記)—were collectively composed after 1591, when Tang returned to his hometown. The key theme in these three plays is “ch’ing” ( 情); moreover, the main characters in all three plays sought to understand themselves. Tang’s plays were not written purely for amusement, but rather offered him the chance to explore and observe “reality.”