An Interview With The Son of Mei Lan-Fang

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SON OF MEl LAN-FANG Irmgard Johnson The University of Florida Mei Pao-chiu ~~1t-~7,'the son of the great actor Mei Lan-fang ~~ f~ 15, is today already well known as a Peking opera "star," though he has had little time in which to rebuild his skills and reputation. He ret~rned to the stage in 1978 after the dust had s~ttled from the lifting of the ban on traditional theatre, and audiences were hopeful that he might bring something of his father's spirit back to the stage. Though 18 years had passed since the renowned actor had died, he was still well-remembered. The following two sentences are the most copious reference to Mei Pao-chiu that I could find (in English): "The ambition of all great actors in China and. Japan is to hand on the torch of their achievement. [Mei Lan-fang's] own son he knew could never really fill his place, for one thing the war years had prevented him receiving the long basic training necessary to an actor, but, apart from that, realities must be faced on stage and clever actor though Mei's boy was he lacked that divine spark. ,,1 Here A. C. Scott is comparing "Nei's boy,U then fourteen years old, with the famous Li Shih-fang ~ ~.~ who was considered by many to be second only to the nation's idol himself. During the period in question, 1945-1947, the son did perform with the Mei troupe, though his appearances were infrequent. Several years later Pao-chiu was taught by his father to play the part of Blue Snake to the latter's White Snake in Golden Mountain Monastery, Chin Shan SSu~~\~,a section of The Legend of the ~fuite Snake Lady, Pai -She Chuan .g it 1~ .2 One wonders if the youth was aware that he had been given the opportunity at his mother's behest. No inseparable father-son team resulted from this adventure in Tientsin, though later they did on occasion appear together. For example Richard Yang tells how when Pao-chiu was about twenty they performed in Rainbow Pass, (Hung-ni Kuan ~): 'f[, r~) and, remarkably, exchanged roles half 116 AN INTERVIEW WITHTHE SONOF MEI LAN-FANG Irmgard Johnson The University of Florida Mei Pao-chiu fN 1}~J-,.. , the son of the great actor Mei Lan-fang J." 11 ,.. 7[~ r,J 15, is today already well known as a Peking opera ''star, 11 though he has had little time in which to rebuild his skills and reputation. He returned to the stage in 1978 after the dust had settled from the lifting of the ban on traditional theatre, and audiences were hopeful that he might bring something of his father's spirit back to the stage. Though 18 years had passed since the renowned actor had died, he was still well-remembered. The following two sentences are the most copious reference .to Mei Pao-chiu that I could find (in English): "The ambition of all great actors in China and . Japan is to hand on the torch of their achievement. [Mei Lan-fang's] own son he knew could never really fill his place, for one thing the war years had prevented him receiving the long basic training necessary to an actor, but, apart from that, realities must be faced on stage and clever actor though Mei's boy was he lacked that divine spark. 111 Here A. C. Scott is comparing "Mei's boy, 11 then fourteen years old, with the famous Li Shih-fang ,1: t·jf who was considered by many to be second only to the nation's idol himself. During the period in question, 1945-1947, the son did perform with the Mei troupe, though his appearances were infrequent. Several years later Pao-chiu was taught by his father to play the part of Blue Snake to the latter's White Snake in Golden Mountain Monastery, Chin Shan Ssu 4:-J -"f ,a section of The Legend of the White Snake Lady, Pai-She Chuan \~ iZ1} .2 One wonders if the youth was aware that he had been given...