The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-06-02
THE CHINESE STAGE.
,wess Chin Foo. ia resa. sanisg.

tWcok Chin Foo. "a Texas SlNfegs, A gensiemen cf means. upon entering . theatre in China caa. with perfect pru- pvsety, order the production of any play he may ehocsc to select. upon precisely the same Plan that an American gentle man would ostez Ais meal ,n restaurant in Amesiea.
 ! Flaming sed "hills.s uf about .welse inchcs in kasth ey four h width, upon which arc wrstcn os printed many cf tho leading dramas arc asaally placed upon each table os sand in the psrgues circle. wAich IS distinstfy ~ cAcscess pass ef,h< house. and. consequently. occupied ty the fashionable and wealthy portion sf the al. heace.
 These special prcgammes are. ef course. In additssa es the regular !" b,!l cs fare. ceataln,nx the esenlnNs pro- gvansmc, which IS Nahls ,c be, and iae- ausntiy iS entirely Tcsspossd. so accom-. usedase the peculiar whirs of fancy oi some wealthy pstseas, who may order their Psays ., a cost os abous t~ea,y slol. lars. and that m the mos, fashionable places of amusement.
 U l% the custom ot tlxs country ,o prs,~ daee ess single play upoa the stage during the evenings entertainment, while in China NC nevsr produce less than hssa desen, each ef ~hi.h Is ot nos over half an Aours dafation. and they slios each other ln close sue- ccss,on.
 There hesng no stages scenes. ot dfnp curtain, ot. A heterc stated. pctcep,ihle lnsefmixs,oas between the ssesH os any par. ucuiat play, cs the tetminassna oi that play and the eommcneement ot the sue ceeding one. accounts fot the impression generally prevalent ln Amcvtea. and also ln European countries. that Chinese dramas arc .asennlaahle. or. d least, tha, they require a weeks umc k,s their com. ple,,on.
 One important and pecuiias difference between Chinese actors and these of the western nA.ions ss. that white the latte, crdeayor ia reproduce ths different scenes and faesoss ot the dramA as real to life as poss,bls. the fnsmes ssMply as. sume the characters deslgnsied therein. without even an intmation of the real
 Indeed. fl in China an actor should do otherwise. he would he hissesi from the stage by h,s critical audience. while m Alnciica the acso, whose conception ot the character of the person he represent. is true to life. s applauded ,o the skies. and fl to clearncss of conception he should add realistic interpretation. hasacterised by ability and tsee. his fortune h as. so,ed. and hls fame extends across the fuuf seas as an actor of wonderful dramatic ability.
 'pon pteslAely the same principle. should a pa,nt,ng hy Ihlnrse attist he exes uted In perspective. although in all I.s completeness II be equal ,o the beat efforts ai a Raphael, < would he sdiadgsd worthless the production of an suoraut boa by competent Chinese ttittcs, it,sm theii standpoint of excellence.
 The dhinese aiiis,s pay no attention whatever ,a peapet tive they strive to iosm the perfect outlines oi tho things te- produced upon theit canvas, without te- AS are heu pa,n,ngs, so arc lheil dramatic representations Theatre al plays are frequently pto- duced in their temples. as an offering to the gods. the hincse believing that they tthc gods) enjoy such representations Ju,t AS much as poftals do, and tha, they would feel insui,ed if invited to attend the produ'iIan of play in A esmmon place of amuscfncnt
 Thus the gods arr annually provided with an es,fa entertainment in .he tenn pies. by the respective deyo,ccs, through out the entire Chinese empire They are very kind to their gods, fl they svs heaibena.