Letter from the Editor

Letter from the Editor This issue contains four papers that were presented at the 10th annual meeting of the Conference on Chinese Oral and Performing Literature, held at the University of Chicago April 2 and 3, 1978. These show how CHINOPERL as it entered its tenth year was achieving its purpose of studying the whole wide range of the Chinese oral and performing arts. The first two papers are concerned with the relation between oral story-telling and written texts that record such storytelling or are derived from it. The third is a basic bibliographical contribution to the study ofk~~ chIli opera. The fourth is an analysis of a Buddhist service and the types of chanting employed in it. The fifth item is a complete transcription of the Medley Song version of that saddest of all sad stories, The Courtesan's Jewel Box, with character text, romanized text, translation, and musical score for voice and instrument. The Medley Song )f. 5'~ JtY:- ,}- ,1tJ is probably the most elaborate of all the many forms of storysinging . Professor Pian discussed certain aspects of the work at CHINOPERL meetings in 1971 and 1976 and a short excerpt from her transcription appeared in CHINOPERL News No.4. Her more detailed analysis of the work will appear in a subsequent issue. Thorough studies of specific works of oral and performing genres such as this (a Chinese conference in 1959 identified over 260 genres not including the many typ~s of opera) are clearly of prime importance. We hope other Chinoper1ers will be inspired to undertake such work. It will often call for the cooperation between literary scholars and musicologists of which the paper on Buddhist chants by Chunjo Liu and Alan Kagan is an admirable example. It is to be hoped that the anticipated opportunities for field study in the People's Republic will result in many such studies. Judging by reports of our members who have recently been to China, the researcher should be able not only to witness and record public 3 Letter from the Editor This issue contains four papers that were presented at the 10th annual meeting of the Conference on Chinese Oral and Performing Literature, held at the University of Chicago April 2 and 3, 1978. These show how CIIINOPERL as it entered its tenth year was achieving its purpose of studying the whole wide range of the Chinese oral and performing arts. The first two papers are concerned with the relation between oral story-telling and written texts that record such storytelling or are derived from it. The third is a basic bibliographical contribution to the study of k'illl ch' u opera. The fourth is an analysis of a Buddhist service and the types of chanting employed in it. The fifth item is a complete transcription of the Medley Song version of that saddest of all sad stories, The Courtesan's Jewel Box, with character text, romanized text, translation, and musical score for voice and instrument. The Medley Song ~ 5"~,J1~r j- ,±JJ is probably the most elaborate of all the many forms of storysinging . Professor Pian discussed certain aspects of the work at CHINOPERL meetings in 1971 and 1976 and a short excerpt from her transcription appeared in CHINOPERL News No.4. Her more detailed analysis of the work will appear in a subsequent issue. Thorough studies of specific works of oral and performing genres such as this (a Chinese conference in 1959 identified over 260 genres not including the many types of opera) are clearly of prime importance. We hope other Chinoperlers will be inspired to undertake such work. It will often call for the cooperation between literary scholars and musicologists of which the paper on Buddhist chants by Chunjo Liu and Alan Kagan is an admirable example. It is to be hoped that the anticipated opportunities for field study in the People's Republic will result in many such studies. Judging by reports of our members who have recently been to China, the researcher should be able not only to witness and record public 3 4 performances no longer limited to contemporary works, but also to have personal contact with performers (some in organized...