emotional elements, is, comparative speaking, a much firmer stronghold of conservatism:
"Listening" and "Looking"
'The two characters: ting to isten," and K'an, "'to look" as plied in theatrical vernacular, to distinguish briefly the outset ing' alferences between Shanghai and Poking taste.
The fact that king one goes lia that the operatic drama is to "hear" a pia rized; the fact that at Shanghai one usually goes to "seo" a play means not only that youth and uty are rated at a premium but also that the gaudy, sensational type of extravaganza has a strong Public appeal. The foregoing st stements are subject to correction to this extent: an actor possessing a handsome facemand a good voice would be liked in Peking; and of having an exceptionally good voice, "Dut unattractive face, would have even in Shanghai a fighting chance to win a following. In all events, the Peking theatre patron not only' prefers, but knows how, to listen, as may be witnessed when a passage is sung in the best style, At such a moment, one may see any number of scholarly and musicianly mon tapping their fingers or nodding their heads in perfect unison with the orchestra. Sights of this kind are rare in Shanghai two cities. "Shang Hsiao-yun, the foremost ching-i singer of the younger generation is liked by music-lovers everywhere; but seems that Cheng Yen-chin, whi liked in Peking, has attained Shanghai exaggerated importance; and this is also true of the porteayer of male roles, Ma Lien-long. Although both are excellent actors, their voices, pleasant and well train: ed, have limitations that preclude the possibility of their attaining the true bel canto. Shanghai, Peking, mind the entire country admit the supremacy of the "Five Incomparables:" Chen Te-lin, Kung Yun-fu, Mél_Lan-fang, Yang' Hsiao-lou, and Vu Shu-yen, although Shanghai has little, if any, opportunity to hear the master voices of the aged actors, Chen Te-lin and Kung Yun-tu. the three Shanghai favourites, verity able gods of fortune for booking receipts, Hsiao Ta-tzu, Liu Hsiao-hong, and the late Shang Ch'un-hong, it is quite safe to say that in Poking none of these could earn his daily rice. "Without good voices and destitute of vocal style, these actors nevertheless give the Shanghai audience what it gladly pays for: over-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.