A cross division of the above classification is found in the distinction drawn between plays according to the style of music employed; _kuan-ch’ü_, _er-huang_, _hsi-p’i_, and _pan-tzu_. Among them only the first mentioned has an appeal to literary men, while the other three are considered fit for the mob only. The _kuan-ch’ü_ music is a real Chinese product descended from the classical plays of the Yuan Dynasty. It flourished during the Ming Dynasty, but during the Ch’ing rule it fell into desuetude until at the time of the late Dowager Empress it had entirely passed out of fashion. In the last decades there have been made fairly successful efforts to revive it, especially on the part of Mei Lan-fang. The chief instrument in this style of music is the flute. _Er-huang_ and _hsi-p’i_ are very similar. Both styles came to Peking from the province of Hupeh at the beginning of the Ch’ing Dynasty, and in both the _hu-ch’in_, a string instrument with a sounding-box played by a bow, gives the characteristic touch to the music. These two styles, together with the _pan-tzu_, are considered rather vulgar music, especially the _pan-tzu_. This latter style came to Peking from the province of Shansi, where the barbarian Mongol blood predominates in the population over the purer Chinese strain. The _hu-ch’in_ is also played in _pan-tzu_; but the instrument that gives the name as well as the character to this style is a wooden board held in one hand by a member of the orchestra and beaten with the other to indicate the rhythm. As can be gathered from this fact, the music is very simple and primitive.