CH'I JU-SHAN

born Dec. 23, 1876, Kao-yang, Hopeh Province, China died March 18, 1962, Taiwan playwright and scholar who revived interest in traditional Chinese drama in 20th-century China and in the West. Born into a prosperous and well-educated family, Ch'i Ju-shan received a Classical Chinese education, also studying traditional Chinese theatre from childhood and learning European languages as a young man. Between 1908 and 1913 he travelled to Paris several times, first on family business and later as the supervisor of a group of Chinese students. While in Paris Ch'i Ju-shan managed to take in a great deal of European drama, which spurred his desire to restore traditional Chinese theater to its former place of importance. On his return to China, Ch'i met Mei Lan-fang, then emerging as one of China's greatest actors. The two combined talents, with Mei Lan-fang executing the new dramas of Ch'i Ju-shan that were based on historical and legendary sources. The highly successful partnership culminated in 1930 when Ch'i Ju-shan accompanied Mei Lan-fang on a dramatic tour of the United States. From 1931 until 1948 Ch'i Ju-shan spent most of his time compiling his life-long research on Chinese drama. With friends he founded The Traditional Chinese Theatre Association, which sponsored a school and a museum that published most of Ch'i Ju-shan's writings. In 1948 the political situation in China forced Ch'i Ju-shan to go to Taiwan, where he contined to occupy himself with research on the theatre until his death.