REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 



the sudden development of the Chinese Drama when we come to the 



go] Period in the thirteenth century, and holds that this was 

 "in large measure due to the fact that in the ancestral home of the 

 Mongols the drama had already arrived at a higher stage of develop- 

 in. 'lit than it had reached in China." 



After a short section on the drama in the Manchu Dynasty, there 

 follows a section on some characteristics and weaknesses of the 

 ( Ihinese Drama. This is perhaps the most interesting part of the book, 

 hut the author fails to do justice to some of the strong points such 

 as the remarkable acting of women's parts by men, and the extra- 

 ordinary ability in pantomine. The good Chinese actor without the aid 

 of scenery or elaborate theatrical properties, by bodily and facial ex- 

 pression, accomplishes wonderful things. We are brought back to 

 the Shakespearian period where the effect produced on the audience 

 depended so largely upon the actors themselves. 



In the chapter, "The Drama under the Republic," the author 

 states that modern plays dealing with modern political and social 

 problems have not proved a great success and have not appealed to 

 the ordinary Chinese audience. Judged by the success of some of 

 these modern plays in Shanghai theatres, this statement seems some- 

 what exaggerated. It may be true that adaptations from Ibsen and 

 Bernard Shaw may not be acceptable to the Chinese playgoers at pre- 

 sent, but at the same time there is a movement on foot to introduce 

 in the modern drama the new social problems in China in regard to 

 marriage and the relation between children and parents. The New 

 Thought movement is exerting an influence on the drama,, and in 

 time the drama will be used more and more as a vehicle for influencing 

 ( "ninese public opinion in regard to social reform. 



A section might have been added on the drama in schools and 

 colleges. Students have become amateur actors and playwrights and 

 from the plays produced by them one can see something of the ferment 

 going on in the mind of New China. Prof. Soong Tsung-faung calls 

 attention to the importance of these student plays in one of his articles 

 on the Chinese drama. 



There is one misprint which might be corrected in future editions. 

 On page 17, eighteenth line, we have "wastful" for "wasteful." 



We could wish that this able writer could find time to give this 

 subject a more thorough study and a larger treatment. 



There is still much to be said in regard to the origin of the 

 drama, the varieties of the drama, the construction of the play, the 

 training of the actors, the influence in the past and the present and 

 the outlook for further development. F L H P 



