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A CHINESE COMEDIAN.
T h e a t r i c a l e.xhibitions form one o f the c h ie f amusements o f the C h in e se ;
for th o u g h no public th ea tre is licensed b y the gov ernmen t, y et eve ry M a n d
a r in o f ra n k h a s a stage erected in Ins house, for th e performanc e o f d rama s,
a n d h is visitors are gene rally en te rtain ed b y ac tors h ire d for the purpose.
O n occasions o f p ublic re jo ic in g , as the commencement o f a new y e a r,
.h e birthKlay o f th e Em p e ro r, a n d o th e r festivals, p lay s are o p en ly p e rformed
in the streets, th ro u g h o u t th e d a y . an d the s tro llin g p lay e rs re wa
rded b y th e v o lu n ta ry co n trib u tio n s o f the spectators.
W h i l e the Embassador a n d h is suite were a t C a n to n , th e a tric a l re p re sentations
were re g u la rly exhibited at d in n e r time, fo r th e ir d iv e rs io n .
T h is cha ra c te r, w h ich the In te rp re te r expla ined to be an enraged ...ilita ry
officer, was sketched from an actor p e rfo rm in g h is p a r t before the em ba ssy,
December 1 9, 1793.
T h e s e ente rtainments are accompanied b y m u sic ■. d u rin g the p erfo rm ,
ance o fw h ic h , sudden b u rs ts , from the h arsh est w in d in s trum en ts , a n d the
sonorous gong, frequently s tu n the ears o f the au d ien ce.
Females are n o t allowed to p e r fo rm : th e ir ch a rac ters are therefore su s ta
in ed b y eunuchs ; w h o , h av in g th e ir feet closely b andaged, are not
e a s ily distin g u ish ed from women.
T h e dresses w o rn b y p lay e rs , are those o f anc ient times.
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