Among these the critics assign the first places to two historical tragedies written about the beginning of the eighteenth century: “The Blood-Stained Fan” (T’ao Hua Shan) by Kung Shang-jen and “The Palace of Eternal Life” (Ch’ang Shan Tien) by Hung Sen. The former deals with the last days of the Ming Dynasty. The author presents the struggles of the various parties and the dissensions among the generals in the face of a tottering throne. In the foreground of the revolutionary scene stand two lovers. The hero, a courageous young literary man, is forced to flee before his political enemies, and the heroine is likewise threatened. Since she prefers death to disgrace she attempts suicide. The play takes its name from the fact that some of her blood stained the fan her lover had presented to her. An artist, coming across this fan, painted the bloodstains into peach blossoms so cleverly as to deceive every one. After years of civil war, in the course of which the dynasty is overthrown, the lovers meet again. They feel that love has no place in a broken and disrupted fatherland; patriotism is higher than love—such seems to be the author’s meaning. The other play, “The Palace of Eternal Life”, goes back to a much earlier period, that of the T’ang Dynasty. It has for hero and heroine the emperor Ming Huang, traditional founder of the Chinese theater, and his capricious concubine, Yang Kuei-fei. The Palace of Eternal Life was the name they had given to the pleasure dome where the famous lovers gave themselves up to idyllic and voluptuous amusements.[16] This story is full of romantic and dramatic elements; there are said to be more than fifty plays that have Yang Kuei-fei for heroine. Versions by ballad singers have been well translated by George Carter Stent,[17] a Britisher who secured unprinted popular ballads by having street singers come to his house to recite them while his teacher wrote them down verbatim. Since Yang Kuei-fei and her lover play such an important part in the Chinese drama, it might be well to quote two of the numerous ballads about her. AN IMPERIAL LOVER Tang Ming-kuang loved Yang Kuei-fei— Living for her, in her, with her,— Walking by her, hither, thither— In the pleasant summer weather, Strolling hand in hand together. Side by side with Yang Kuei-fei, Listening to the play of fountains— Climbing up the mimic mountains— Through romantic scenery Of hill and lake, rock, dell and tree. “If I had not Yang Kuei-fei, What were all my Empire worth? With her, earth is heaven to me,— This is paradise on earth.” Mid-day in the lakelet found them, Lotus leaves and blossoms round them; Disporting gaily in the water, (Daily to this place he brought her). Now an avenue they tread, Where the trees arch overhead,— Saving just enough of space To catch a glimpse of heaven’s face, Showing its intensest blue, Peering down upon the two.