Before considering some actual examples of the "civil" and "military" plays, which may be seen in Shanghai, it is desirable to consider the five classic examples of drama of the old school. These, although not often seen, do, at the most unexpected times, appear in the adyertisements in bold characters.
From the Yuan period is the! famous Msi-hsiang (The West jen Chamber). Pi Pa Chi (The Story of the Guitar), the masterpiece evolving about ' Confucian ethics, is a product of the Ming period. "Peony Pavitio spite of its fame, is not equal to the above mentioned Ming drama. Two geod dramas, based on historical nding characteristics. the Chinese drama is ike grand opera in that predominates although dialo. ne is spoken. Emotional passages are often sung to great length. The Yeligious background, that of the population, is of Buddhism and Taoism although the austere philoso phy of Confucius, with its duty to father and mother, family, friend, and sovereign, is omnipresent and often stressed. to the last degree. The here, again in agreement with sorns," dealing with the turbulent, downfall of the Mings and "The "aluco of Eternal Life," which is a colourful picture of the most fascinating of all. women in Chinese history, the Imperial favourite, Yang Kuei-fe. Last winter, "The Story of the Guitar" was given five or six times at the Kung Wutai, while "Peony] Pavilion" was sometimes advertised. "The Palace of Eternal Life," I hear,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.