A Tribute and an Irish Blessing for Kate

CHINOPERL Papers No. 27 (2007)©2007 by the Association for Chinese Oral and Performing Literature, Inc. A TRIBUTE AND AN IRISH BLESSING FOR KATE Victor Mair (University of Pennsylvania) When I enrolled in the Ph.D. program of the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University in 1972, I was particularly intrigued by a formidable personage whom I often saw in the halls of our building at 2 Divinity Ave. That was Kate Stevens. She seemed to be someone who knew everything, and that was particularly daunting at a time when I felt that I knew practically nothing. Above all, Kate was a master of Peking drum singing, a local performance art dating to the mid-nineteenth century and by this time dying out, about which I was totally ignorant. She had also done extensive fieldwork in Taiwan, and that made me all the more in awe of her. I decided then and there that there were only a couple of viable approaches to my predicament. I could either adopt a position of abject fecklessness, or I could learn from Kate, and from her mentor Rulan Chao Pian, as much as I could. Wisely, I chose the latter course. I made a point of attending as many of Kate’s lectures and talks as I could. I looked upon her as a big sister, and—as it turned out—she was not so terrifying as I had formerly imagined. For many years I attended all of the CHINOPERL meetings and listened intently to every word uttered and every note performed by Kate. I also read her dissertation and any and all of her papers that I could get my hands on. In the end, I gained a true appreciation of Peking drum singing, and even learned a thing or two about such enchanting subjects as clapper tales. All of this inspired me to undertake my own investigations in Chinese folk and popular literature. My small achievements in these areas are in large measure due to the inspiration of my big sister Kate, and for that I am deeply grateful. It was she who showed me how sensitivity to and appreciation for Chinese folk art could lead to a deeper understanding of Chinese culture in general. In retrospect, I CHINOPERL Papers No. 27 20 probably would not have chosen to write my own dissertation on Dunhuang transformation texts (bianwen) had it not been for the strong impression Kate’s devotion to Peking drum singing made upon me. Here was someone who took folk art completely seriously, but had a good time investigating it with utmost thoroughness. Kate’s approach was a good model for me, and I can only hope that I have applied it reasonably well. For the initial impetus she provided to my career at a time when I was feeling somewhat adrift (she herself is probably totally oblivious that she had such an effect upon me, but she did it just by being Kate), I enthusiastically and warmly join my voice with all the others who are offering tribute to Kate Stevens for her contributions to the study of Chinese oral and performing literature. An Irish blessing for you, Kate: May brooks and trees and singing hills Join in the chorus, too. And every gentle wind that blows Send happiness to you. ...