Hong Chaohui Dong Cunfa
Mei Lanfang visited the United States in 1930, and the success of Sino-US Peking Opera diplomacy mainly depended on China's subjective efforts, but there were two main criteria for success: one was the reaction of the American media and drama critics; the other was the box office performance and the audience's reaction.
(1) Positive feedback from the US media
In the United States, "The United States had a press before it had a foreign policy",[1] and the dominant force influencing American public opinion at that time was newspapers and magazines, especially the most famous newspaper, The New York Times. Since January 27, 1930, the New York Times has continuously reported that mei Lanfang's whereabouts before her performance in New York (February 17) have been tracked, and a total of 7 reports have been published from January 17 to February 16, far more efficient than advertising. After the performance began, the New York Times published a total of 35 reports from February 17 to April 20, not including the two follow-up reports after Mei Lanfang left the United States, a total of 44 news, reports and reviews, which was unprecedented and rare.
Mei Lanfang's Arrival in the United States: Welcoming Mei's Ranks through Chinatown for San Francisco (1930-6-22 Declaration)
The famous Mei Lan Fang clan arrived in the United States to entertain the film queen Mrs. Van Punk at the Luoshan Farewell industry and Robo Franfell star and mrs. Gong (1930-6-22 declaration)
The reaction of the US media to Mei Lanfang's performance can be roughly divided into three aspects. First, the evaluation of Mei Lanfang's cultural diplomacy and Peking Opera diplomacy.
First, Mei Lanfang is an "Ambassador in Art" because he brings not only performances, but exchanges, contacts and engagements,[2] and her performances illustrate that "one way countries respect one's culture is mutual appreciation of art",[3] and The San Francisco Chronicle notes that Ms. Mei was "an ambassador, no less than his actorhood, who went far beyond diplomacy and made the American people sympathetic about his race." [4] At the same time, Mei Lanfang came from as far away as Beijing and "brought with it a play that bore no resemblance to ours", a "pure art" that "gives pleasure through elegance and beauty."] That's how natural and naïve it is to reorganize the world on that basis,[5] so", "you don't really understand Chinese people until you see and hear this great actor." If we recognize mutual appreciation and respect among peoples as a force for international understanding, we must thank China for sending us its own symbol like Mei Lanfang." [6] John Dewey (1859-1952), a professor at Columbia University, also said at a welcome banquet in New York: "I not only celebrate Mei Lanfang's success, I actually celebrate oriental culture, and through Mei Jun's strength, I can show his beauty; I also celebrate for americans, through Mei Jun's strength, they can admire the most noble oriental art." Then Meijun communicates the cultures of the two countries and contacts the feelings of the two countries, and its power is really great, and I admire it! Charles K. Edmunds, president of Pomona College in California, also said that Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States was "to promote oriental art, connect with Sino-US feelings, and communicate world culture, such a great feat, which has not been done in decades, so the university decided to give this honorary title (honorary doctorate) to Mei Jun." [7]
Thorn Tiger Stills The famous sculptor is a statue of Mei Lanfang (selected from The Collection of Rare Historical Materials of Mei Lanfang)
Second, Mei Lanfang is a "Great King of Actors" because he is "graceful and in perfect proportions." The clothing he wore covered from head to toe, leaving only his hands and face. His hands are pleasing to the eye; his face is a perfectly ovate shape, and his lips are quite plump, but in other respects the shape is flawless" Moreover, his hair and wigs are choreographed in an extremely complex way, and his expressions often have a bland, playful quality, always with an exoticism, and he is "a custom which is to be more honored" that we still abandon centuries ago, a custom which is to be more honored." [8] In particular, a man must not only resemble a woman, but also resemble a woman, which is where Mei Lanfang's genius charm lies. [9]
MEI LAN-FANG，New York Times,1930-4-6
Third, Mei Lanfang is "the most important member of China's stage" because he is "a shy, unobtrusive, good-natured young man." When asked about his impressions of America, his response was that he was stimulated by the "youth and joyousness" of America. [10] Moreover, as a "chief protagonist", Mei Lanfang "is an intelligible and arresting figure", although "for most Westerners, Chinese drama may be remote and meaningless". [11]
Second, there are four major cultural reasons for Mei Lanfang's sensational performance. The first is a kind of Orientalist plot. American audiences can feel "entertainment" and "peculiarly satisfying" from Mei Lanfang's Peking Opera performances; the reason for the satisfaction is the resonance of "lies deep in the psychology of esthtics" that humans share, because in just a few hours of enjoying Mei Lanfang's performance, Westerners tend to " A world of emotional and intellectural relief", the common requirement of drama in the East and west is to "make men feel and think and act". So, "the question of which is better, Western or Eastern, is idle" because "every drama is an epitome and summary of its culture, and drama is a product of that culture." [12] Thus, American audiences are able to remember him "not because he is quaint and foreign, but because there is something universal in his art in his art that transcends the barriers of language, custom, and age." [13] In this regard. Zhang Pengchun also believes that the success of the performance cannot be attributed only to the curiosity of the American audience, "it must be something in the art of Chinese Peking Opera and Mr. Mei's unique achievements that satisfy the artistic enjoyment of the American audience." [14]
Hand-drawn propaganda map of Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States, from "Cultural Interpretation of Sino-US Theater Exchanges", Wu Ge, Yunnan University Press, 2006
The second is that Mei Lanfang can give Westerners a unique charm, because Mei Lanfang gives people the main impression of grace and beauty, solemnity and sobriety, with pure imagination (unalloyed imagination), and the feeling of being in living antiquity, although Mei Lanfang's plays do not reflect the situation in contemporary China. But it's hard to believe that it reflects the soul of the Chinese nation, and if you can accept it under these conditions, you will be full of wonder as you are of bewilderment. [15] One of the American critics argued that Ms. Mei's performances helped the United States make an impact on race relations and attitudes toward others, and that Ms. Mei was praised by Americans not because he was Chinese "really like an American" but because he was "truly Chinese", and that Ms. Mei "led many of us to respect Chinese and their civilization, which no preaching or sermon can do. He embodied in himself Chinese the most beautiful and important thing in character". [16]
The third is the blessing of celebrities, prompting the audience to judge that Mei Lanfang is not an idle person. The New York Times reported on February 4 that in order to welcome Mei Lanfang, a special reception committee was set up headed by the wife of President Wilson, the former first lady of the United States, and its members included the wife of the Chinese ambassador to the United States, the former ambassador of the United States to China (Charles R. Crane), the president of the Chinese American Association, Paul Monroe, and Professor Dewey of Columbia University. [17] Moreover, the U.S. organizers of the show were not designed for profitable commercial enterprises, but by the Huamei Association for cultural relations and good-will. [18]
The same photo published in the New York Times and in Chinese newspapers respectively: the film queen Manli Bi Kefu and Mei Lanfangxing greeting
The fourth is the professional packaging of american media. As early as January 27, 1930, the New York Times issued the first report, 21 days in advance, predicting that Mei Lanfang would perform in New York on February 17, clearly mentioning that a total of 27 Peking opera actors and dancers came to the United States, the organizer was the Huamei Association, and emphasized that all the actors were men. [19] The North-China Daily News, an English-language newspaper published in Shanghai, China, also mentions that it was accompanied by a chief interpreter, Dr. Frances Pan, who graduated from Dartmouth College, an Ivy League university, and Tsinghua University in China. [20] Another headline was: "Mei Lanfang, a great artist who is popular with 50,000 people, has arrived in New York!" [21] In order to make Mei Lanfang's art understandable to Western audiences, the troupe set up "a mistress of ceremonies, Miss Soo Yong" who appeared before each play to explain the theme of the play and to draw attention to the notes on the performance." [22]
The third is a commentary on Mei Lanfang's Peking Opera art. The American media first quoted Hu Shi's negative evaluation of Peking Opera: "Chinese theater is a kind of arrested growth in history, it has not yet been freed from its historical connection with music, singing, dance and acrobatic games, and it has not succeeded in becoming a drama of natural speaking and spontaneous acting. None of this can and does not need to be denied." [23] However, Chinese drama is two-dimensional, elegant, and two-dimensional, polished, remote, and it is "hints rather than expresses" through elaborate designs. In contrast, "Western drama is full-bodied, often coarse grained and didactic." Therefore, by comparing Mei Lanfang's Peking Opera, it can help Westerners realize that "Western drama is not a sedative but an irritant" (not a sedative but an irritant). [24]
The Complete Works of Mei Lanfang, Volume 7 Fu Jin, Li Fei's Uncle Youmei Diary
Moreover, after Mei Lanfang left the United States, she has not been forgotten by the American media. On July 19, 1930, the New York Times reported from Shanghai: "Mei Lanfang returned to China and thanked the United States!" Referring to Mei Lanfang's special telephone call to the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai, Edwin S. Cunningham, on july 18, the day after she arrived in Shanghai on July 18, asking him to convey formal thanks to the American people. The New York Times also called Ms. Mei widely praised as a good-will ambassador from China to the United States. [25] On December 30, 1931, the New York Times went so far as to report: "Mei Lanfang is coming back!" It is emphasized that Mei Lanfang has performed a total of 41 performances in New York since February 17, 1930, and this time, she will perform a new repertoire and will also bring Hollywood film teams. [26] More importantly, after American scholars saw Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States in 1935, they promoted worldwide theatrical exchanges and innovations, including in-depth exchanges between China and Japan, China and the United States, China and the Soviet Union, and China and Europe, and a cross-currents in the Chinese theater emerged in Chinese theaters. [27]
(b) Positive reactions from the American public
In addition to positive media coverage, the reaction of the American people has also been very alarming. First of all, it is manifested in the box office, and a major symbol of the success of Peking Opera diplomacy is the box office, because a good performance not only needs to be applauded, but also needs to be applauded, and the box office is the last word. According to the Herald Tribune, "the first few days of the show in New York, full seats, still within expectations, can not imagine that after four weeks of performances, it is still full of seats every day, which shows the degree of american popularity with Chinese dramas." [28] Moreover, the 49th Street Theater in New York is located in the heart of the Broadway theater, not a Few Dozen Seats Chinese Tea Room, but a seven-hundred-seat theater. [29] Later, due to the overwhelming response from the audience, the performances had to be moved to the 2,000-seat National Theatre, where 21 more performances were performed. [30]
The famous Mei Lanfang and the American screenwriter and director Dr. Belareo The cup held by Mei Shi was obtained by Napoleon and Josephine more than ten years ago (declaration 1930-5-25)
At the same time, the common encounter of Peking Opera in overseas performances is that the first scene reaction is mediocre, because few people can understand it, and few people can grit their teeth and persevere to the end, but Mei Lanfang's performance is an exception. On the first night of acting in New York, it was reported that the audience was full. After the first performance of "Fenhe Bay", the audience asked for the curtain call five times; the second "Qingshi Mountain", co-starring Zhu Guifang and Liu Lianrong, closed the curtain three times; the third play was performed by Mei Lanfang dancing the sword, five times; the last "Thorny Tiger", the curtain was as high as fifteen times. The audience sent more than 50 flower baskets and more than 20 bundles of flowers. In total, it was performed in New York for a total of five weeks, and many people watched it five or six times, or even a dozen times. On the last night of the performance in New York, many spectators proposed to ask to shake hands with Mei Lanfang to say goodbye, and Mei Lanfang immediately agreed, up to tens of minutes.
In addition, in the United States at that time, the audience used to perform the matinee every Wednesday and Saturday, and the main audience was women, which was generally difficult to fill the seats, but this time Mei Lanfang's daytime scene was almost full, and the grandeur was unprecedented. Mei Lanfang has performed a total of seventy-two days in the United States, roughly fifty days full of seats, the rest of at least 70% or 80%, the ticket price has also risen from five dollars to twelve yuan, which shows the crowding of spectators. [31]
Roughly speaking, Ms. Mei's performance in New York attracted six different audiences, including Chinese, American friends, Broadway actors, theater critics, the smart, and regulars on Broadway. The popularity of the first five types of audiences is expected, but it is not easy to attract discerning, high-end, professional Broadway regulars to enjoy Mei Lanfang's Peking Opera, "Which may indicate that Broadway also has come of age." ”[32]
(3) The enlightenment of Mei Lanfang's successful visit to the United States
In short, Mei Lanfang's performance in the United States in 1930 was an unprecedented success in terms of the degree of reaction of the US media and audiences, and provided some enlightenment for today's national diplomacy and cultural diplomacy.
First, folk. Although the Chinese government at that time was busy with various civil wars, had no time to take care of Sino-US diplomacy, and slowed down the speed and efficiency of Mei Lanfang's trip, this was a major reason for the success of Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States. Once the visit to the United States is no longer an act of the government, but promotes the active participation of all walks of life in the non-governmental circles, including academics, business circles, newspapers, and even the underworld, especially in China at that time, with diversified interests, political parties, warlords fighting, and the official leadership of any cultural activity can only backfire and half the results. Mei Lanfang's long-term self-funded public relations and efforts to receive people from all walks of life in the United States have maximized Mei Lanfang's popularity in the United States. Mei Lanfang's professional performances in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hawaii and other places, without official representatives of China and the United States on stage to make official speeches, which help to maximize the utility of people-to-people diplomacy. In addition, Sino-US diplomacy at that time, without the interference of the Cold War mentality, was also a positive factor for Mei Lanfang to be supported by the United States, left and right, young and old, and men and women.
Second, non-commercial. Although the lack of commercial sponsorship hindered the scale and speed of fundraising, it highlighted the legitimacy and non-utilitarian nature of Peking Opera diplomacy. There seems to be a paradox here: on the one hand, if it is not a commercial performance, it can only eat the government's "imperial food", so it is inevitable to have an official background and weaken its influence; on the other hand, if it is a commercial performance, it will be infected with "copper odor", and it is inevitable that "implantable advertising" will appear in the transmission of performances, which may dilute the color and function of cultural exchanges. The characteristics of Mei Lanfang's performance in the United States are neither commercial performances nor official performances, although it has increased the cost of fundraising and organization, but the high cost can sometimes get high returns, which promotes the cultural exchange effect of the performance is doubled, which not only enhances the professional image of mei Lanfang's troupe, but also helps the people of China and the United States to exchange feelings effectively.
Third, affinity. The affinity of the "storyteller" is important, which is also the soft power of an oriental culture. Although the skills, popularity, personality charm and public relations ability of the "main speaker" Mei Lanfang, as well as the professional assistance, foreign language ability, form improvement and logistical support of the assistant speakers Qi Rushan and Zhang Pengchun, are all elements of the success of cultural diplomacy, such efforts must not be one-way, single, monotonous indoctrination, preaching or propaganda. As one New York client put it, through face-to-face communication with Mei Lanfang, albeit through an interpreter, "Mr. Mei is neither bored nor arrogant." He smiled triumphantly. Mr. May won the affections of the American public. [33] Similar human efforts, it is possible to break through the shortcomings of time and place, break the "fate" of objective determinism in a difficult objective environment, and create a miracle of subjective victory over objectivity.
Fourth, professionalism. Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States always adheres to the supremacy of professionalism. Before visiting the United States, he listened to the feedback of professionals familiar with American society; the teams involved in the improvement of the repertoire were all first-class theater industry; the selection of New York theaters also relied on professional Broadway agents; the main force of public opinion to promote Plum opera was the top American press; and the peking opera reviews were also new York's first-class theater experts. The removal of political and business "distractions" can maximize the cultural and educational functions unleashed by specialization. Therefore, professionalism not only dilutes the political and commercial nature, but also is an important guarantee for the success of Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States.
Fifth, interactivity. The diplomacy of Peking Opera is inseparable from the support and interaction of the local people. Generally speaking of visits that call themselves "tall and tall", they often neglect the cultivation and attention of the local people. As everyone knows, the success of Peking Opera diplomacy is inseparable from the daily food, clothing, housing and transportation and ordinary people. Through interaction with American civilians on ships, trains, hotels, restaurants, and tourism, Mei Lanfang has produced great goodwill, humility, and friendly radiation and influence, imperceptibly. In particular, his interaction with local Chinese and overseas Chinese is not only a major theme of Mei Lanfang's Peking Opera diplomacy, but also a guarantee for the smooth and successful performances in the United States. [34]
Mei Lanfang (sixth from left) receives British Minister to China, Ramboson (seventh from left), and others at the Wuliang Adult Hutong Apartment (from the Mei Lanfang Collection of Old Portraits, Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall, 2003)
National, often the world. The essential reason why Mei Lanfang, an ancient Chinese opera and talented Peking opera master, belongs to the world lies in the common heart, shared values and empathy ability of human beings. The essence of cultural diplomacy, as defined at the beginning of the article, is that it is natural and naturally communicative, interactive, and pluralistic. Although Mei Lanfang's performance in the United States does not need to be repeated, and Mei Lanfang's genius is more difficult to replicate, Sino-US cultural diplomacy and Peking Opera exchanges should not and will not stagnate, and the path of history is not only worth learning from today, but also conducive to tomorrow's transcendence.
exegesis:
[1] Zhaohui Hong and Yi Sun, “The Butterfly Effect and the Making of ‘Ping-Pong Diplomacy,’” Journal of Comtemporary China, 9 （25） （2000）: 441; James Reston, “The Press, the President and Foreign Policy,”Foreign Affairs, 44 （1966）: 553-573.
[2] “Mei Lan-fang Paises American Cordiality,” New York Times, March 23, 1930.
[3] “Mei Lan-Fang Urges Wide Art Sympathies,” New York Times, March 12, 1930.
[4] Edward C. Carter, “Mei Lan-Fang in America,” Pacific Affairs, vol. 3, 9 （Sept. 1930）: 827.
[5] J. Brooks Atkinson, “Mei Lan-fang, Ambassador in Art,” New York Times, Februrary 23, 1930.
[6] Edward C. Carter, “Mei Lan-Fang in America,” 833.
[7] Qi Rushan: Mei Lanfang's Travels to the United States (B- Edition), vol. III (Beiping: Beiping Commercial Press, 1933), pp. 42, 44.
[8] Herbert L. Matthews, “China’s Stage Idol Comes to Broadway,”New York Times, Februrary 16, 1930.
[9] George Kin Leung, “The Chinese Actress: Social and Dramatic Factors in Her Slow Rise to Fame,” Pacific Affairs, 4 （5） （May 1931）: 396-397.
[10] “Mei Lan-Fang here with his Actors,” New York Times, Februrary 9, 1930.
[11] “Mei Lan-Fang Gives a New Program,” New York Times, March 10, 1930.
[12] “As Far as the East,” New York Times, March 16, 1930
[13] Edward C. Carter, “Mei Lan-Fang in America,”829.
[14] Zhang Pengchun, "Foreword to Mr. Mei Lanfang in America: Reviews and Reviews" (January 1935), edited by Liang Yan, Mei Lanfang and Peking Opera Overseas (Zhengzhou: Elephant Publishing House, 2016), p. 403.
[15] J. Brooks Atkinson, “China’s Idol Actor Reveals his Art,” New York Times, Februrary 17, 1930.
[16] Edward C. Carter, “Mei Lan-Fang in America,”831.
[17] “Sponsors of Mei Lan-Fang,” New York Times, February 4, 1930.
[18] J. Brooks Atkinson, “China’s Idol Actor Reveals his Art.”
[19] “Chinese Compmay to Open here Feb. 17,” New York Times, Janurary 27, 1930.
[20] Leslie McKillop, “Mei Lan-Feng in America,” The North-China Daily News, March 8, 1930, p. 456.
[21] Qi Rushan: Mei Lanfang's Travels to the United States (B Edition), vol. IV, p. 3.
[22] Atkinson, “China’s Idol Actor Reveals his Art.”
[23] Atkinson, “Mei Lan-fang, Ambassador in Art,”New York Times, Februrary 23, 1930.
[24] “As Far as the East.”
[25] “Mei Lan-fang Back in China,” New York Times, July 20, 1930.
[26] “Mei Lan-fang to Return,” New York Times, December 30, 1931.
[27] George Kin Leung, “Cross-Currents in the Chinese Theater,”433-438.
[28] Qi Rushan: Mei Lanfang's Travels to the United States (B- Ben), vol. IV, pp. 4-5.
[29] Mei Shaowu, "Mei Lanfang's Visit to the United States to Perform GrandLy", Centennial Tide, No. 3, 2003, p. 63.
[30] Xu Ji's biography: "Few people can still act well--- recall Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States to perform two or three things", p. 57.
[31] Qi Rushan: Mei Lanfang's Travels to the United States (B- Edition), vol. IV, pp. 31-32, 34-35, 36.
[32] Edward C. Carter, “Mei Lan-Fang in America,”828.
[33] Barbara Scott, “We Bow to Meil Lan-fang—The American Triumph of China’s Matinee Idol,” The North American Review, 229 （5） （1930）: 573.
[34] Qi Rushan: Mei Lanfang's Travels to the United States (B- Ben), vol. III, pp. 1-5, 45-52, vol. IV, pp. 36-48.
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