"牡丹亭驚夢" (Mǔdān Tíng Jīng Mèng) is a famous scene from the classic Chinese opera "The Peony Pavilion" (牡丹亭, Mǔdān Tíng), written by the Ming dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu. The title can be translated into English as "The Dream in the Peony Pavilion" or "The Interrupted Dream in the Peony Pavilion."
The scene is a pivotal moment in the opera, where the protagonist Du Liniang, a young maiden, falls asleep in a peony garden and dreams of a romantic encounter with a young scholar named Liu Mengmei. The dream is so vivid and intense that it deeply affects her, leading to a series of events that drive the plot forward.
In English, the scene is often referred to as "The Dream in the Peony Pavilion" or simply "The Dream." It is celebrated for its poetic language, emotional depth, and the exploration of themes such as love, desire, and the boundary between dreams and reality. The scene is a cornerstone of Chinese literary and theatrical tradition and has been performed and adapted in various forms over the centuries.