[20] Yang Kuei-fei had intrigued with a noble named An Lu-shan, who afterwards raised the standard of rebellion, it is said, with the hope of obtaining possession of her. Be that as it may, the Emperor assembled a large army, and accompanied by Yang Kuei-fei, went to meet him. On arriving at a place called Ma-kuei in Sze-chuen, the Emperor’s troops mutinied, declaring that Yang Kuei-fei was the cause of the rebellion, and demanding her life, otherwise they would not fight. The Emperor, having no alternative, was forced to comply. Some say he ordered her to be strangled, and that this was done by the soldiers; others again, that she strangled herself—the latter appears the correct version. [21] For similar practices among the Romans, see Sumner, “Folkways”, page 445. [22] See also pages 91 and 92. [23] See Bibliography, book by Arène, for examples. [24] See outline, page 105. [25] About a year after the earthquake Tokio’s Imperial Theater was reopened, and the Japanese honored Mei Lan-fang by engaging him for this occasion. [26] This popular figure, called also “big stomach” or “cloth sack” Buddha, is laughing in anticipation of the happiness to come. His image is found in practically all Buddhist temples and frequently among the _bibelots_ collected by foreigners. In regard to the taste of collectors, Baron de Staël-Holstein, a Russian scholar versed in Buddhist lore, remarked to me one day, “The ugliest of all these figures is the one most sought after by Westerners.” [27] See page 83_ff._ [28] See Haigh, “The Tragic Drama of the Greeks”, Oxford University Press; Murray, “Ancient Greek Literature”, Appleton, etc.—So far as I know no scholar has suggested that the goat did the singing of the “goat songs.” [29] See “Sacred Books of the East”, vol. XXVIII, pp. 92-131. [30] This has now come to an end. In October, 1924, the deposed emperor was driven out of his palace by the “Christian” General Feng Yu-hsiang. [31] Thorndyke, “Shakespeare’s Theater”, Macmillan Company, page 139. [32] _Ib._, page 87. [33] Page 76. [34] _Op. cit._, page 394. [35] See Taine’s description, Book II, chapter II, in his “History of English Literature.” [36] Page 261.—According to my friend Ferdinand Lessing, a German sinologist, Giles has here made a mistake. In Lessing’s words, Chinese plays contain “_faustdicke Zoten_.” [37] “Shakespeare’s England,” II, 308_ff._ [38] Quoted from “Shakespeare’s England”, II, 246. See also Thorndyke’s “Shakespeare’s Theater”, page 372. [39] Goethe, “Frauenrollen auf dem römischen Theater von Männern gespielt.” [40] “Shakespeare’s England”, page 252_ff._ [41] “Shakespeare’s England”, II, 241. [42] Thorndyke, page 138, refers to this article, but takes no stock in Mr. Corbin’s arguments. He says that darkness was symbolized by lighted candles, etc., which is precisely the thing done on the Chinese stage. [43] “Shakespeare’s England”, II, 301. [Illustration] INDEX