Yu Shangyuan (Chinese: 余上沅; pinyin: Yú Shàngyuán) (October 4, 1897 – April 30, 1970) was a 20th-century playwright, Chinese drama educationist and theorist. Yu Shangyuan's hometown was in Shashi, Hubei Province, China. His whole family depended on low wages to make a living. However, he enjoyed drama since he was a little boy. Being recommended by Hu Shih (Chinese: 胡适) and Chen Duxiu (Chinese: 陈独秀), he went to Peking University and graduated from the English department, then, he went to America for further study. As one of the founders of Chinese modern dramas, he made a considerable contribution to dramaturgical theory. His main achievements are his contribution to the development of "the Chinese drama movement" (Chinese: 国剧运动) and his representative works: Syllabus of Performing Arts (Ch