4

The　company　was　named　“Peace　and　Fine　Music"　after　a　variety　troupe　Pao　Ching　had　seen　in　Peiping　thirty　years　before.

The　little　theater,　located　in　one　of　the　busiest　streets,　had　a　capacity　of　two　hundred　people.　According　to　Pao　Ching's　calculations,　if　there　were　a　hundred　in　the　audience,　he　would　not　be　losing　money;　a　hundred　and　fifty,　he　would　make　money;　with　a　full　house,　he　would　have　a　generous　profit.

On　the　day　of　the　opening,　Pao　Ching　could　not　sleep.　When　it　was　barely　dawn　he　got　out　of　bed,　found　a　piece　of　wrapping　paper,　and　jotted　down　all　the　things　he　had　to　do　during　the　course　of　the　day.　When　he　had　scribbled　all　over　the　paper,he　folded　it,　put　it　in　his　pocket,　and　went　out.

First　he　went　to　look　at　the　display　outside　the　theater　that　he　had　arranged　the　day　before.　The　billboard　was　edged　with　electric　lights　in　red,　white,　and　blue.　In　the　light　of　dawn,　they　looked　faint　and　weak,　but　they　had　a　dream_like　beauty.　Under　the　billboard　in　a　glassed　frame　was　a　list　of　the　names　of　the　artists　written　in　black　characters　on　red.　Across　the　center　were　three　large　words　in　thick　black　ink:　“Fang　Pao　Ching."　On　the　sides,　in　gold　characters　on　red,　were　the　names　of　Lotus　Charm　and　Jeweled　Lute.　Underneath　were　a　group　of　colorful　adjectives,　copied　from　motion　picture　advertisements.

Pao　Ching　smiled　to　see　his　own　name.　It　was　like　old　times.　Yes,he　should　be　proud　of　himself.　Before　this,　he　had　worked　with　others　and　had　also　organized　his　own　troupe.　But　he　had　always　been　outclassed　by　others,　either　in　artistry　or　reputation.　Now　for　the　first　time,　he　had　top　billing,　and　he　could　not　help　feeling　proud　of　himself.

He　gazed　contentedly　at　the　billboard　for　a　long　time,　then　reluctantly　walked　away.　He　went　to　a　small　tea　house　and　called　for　some　tea.

After　he　had　had　the　tea,　he　went　to　see　Little　Liu　about　his　accoompaniment　for　Lotus　Charm.　He　himself　needed　no　rehearsal,　because　he　was　an　experienced　singer.　If　Little　Liu　lost　a　beat,　he　could　always　go　on　smoothly　as　if　nothing　had　happened.　But　Lotus　Charm　was　different.　If　the　accompaniment　was　off,　she　too,　would　lose　her　way.　So　he　had　to　have　Little　Liu　try　out　his　accompaniment　with　her,　to　save　them　from　making　mistakes　at　the　first　performance.

But　he　did　not　have　the　courage　to　walk　right　into　the　hotel　to　fetch　Little　Liu.　If　any　of　the　Tang　family　saw　him　they　would　give　a　hundred　reasons　why　Little　Liu　should　not　go　to　try　out　his　accompaniment　with　Lotus　Charm.

He　entered　the　hall　of　the　hotel　and　bribed　the　clerk　to　get　Little　Liu　downstairs　to　talk　privately.　When　Little　Liu　came　Pao　Ching　told　him:　“Please　don't　bring　your　instruments.　I　have　one.　If　my　elder　brother　should　hear　you　play　and　if　he　says　anything,　please　don't　mind　him.　We　have　to　make　money."

Little　Liu　smiled　lazily,　and　promised　to　come　during　the　afternoon　to　rehearse　with　Lotus　Charm.

Pao　Ching　went　to　have　his　head　and　face　shaved,　although　he　had　been　to　the　barber's　only　two　days　before.　After　the　shave,　he　took　the　piece　of　paper　from　his　pocket　and　checked　off　his　list.　He　had　to　visit　all　those　who　had　done　things　for　him,　especially　the　local　officials　and　racketeers.　He　would　give　them　a　few　free　tickets,　to　be　sure　of　their　help　and　protection.

He　also　took　time　out　to　notify　all　who　were　to　work　in　the　theater;　the　men　who　sold　food　and　drinks,　cigarettes　and　melon　seeds,　and　hot　towels;　the　man　at　the　ticket　office;　the　ushers　and　bouncers.　They　were　to　come　at　four　o'clock　that　afternoon　for　the　ceremonial　offerings　to　the　God　of　Show　Business　and　God　of　Wealth,　to　ensure　good　luck.

Pao　Ching　was　already　a　familiar　figure　about　town.　Everybody　seemed　to　recognize　him　wherever　he　went.　The　cashiers　and　waiters　of　tea　houses,　liquor　stores,　and　restaurants　all　knew　he　had　formed　his　troupe　and　was　having　an　opening　that　night.They　called　him　“Big　Boss　Fang"　and　congratulated　him　—　hoping　to　get　a　free　ticket　for　the　opening.　But　Pao　Ching　only　raised　his　own　hands　thanking　them,　saying　neither　yes　nor　no　to　their　hints.　When　he　had　left　them,　he　said　to　himself,　“When　I　patronized　you,　did　I　get　a　free　ticket　or　go　away　without　leaving　a　tip？"

It　was　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　when　he　got　back　to　his　little　hotel.　Everything　was　in　order.　Little　Liu　had　been　over　to　try　the　music　with　Lotus　Charm.　She　was　dressed,　and　was　complaining　that　she　had　no　money　to　buy　a　pair　of　new　white　shoes.

“Let's　make　do　for　today,"　said　Pao　Ching.　“Put　on　that　pair　of　satin　embroidered　shoes.　As　soon　as　I　get　some　money,　I'll　buy　you　a　pair　of　new　white　ones."　She　pouted,　but　she　put　on　her　satin　shoes.

Mrs.Fang　was　all　dressed　up,　and　remarkably　sober.　She　had　remembered　the　offering　ceremony　to　the　Gods　was　at　four　and　had　kept　sober　so　as　not　to　say　the　wrong　things　to　the　Gods,　which　might　mean　disaster.　As　soon　as　the　show　was　over　and　there　was　money　in　the　till,　she　would　have　a　drink　or　two　to　celebrate.

Phoenix　Girl　looked　annoyed.The　offering　ceremony　meant　nothing　to　her,and　she　was　jealous,seeing　her　little　sister　dressed　up　so　beautifully.

Pao　Ching　sensed　her　disappointment.“My　dear　Phoenix　Girl,don't　pout　like　a　baby！When　I　make　some　money,I'll　buy　you　a　new　pair　of　shoes　as　well.　Some　beautiful　ones　I　saw　in　the　store　today."

Phoenix　Girl　did　not　answer.

“My　dear　elder　brother,"　Pao　Ching　said　to　Useless　Fang,　“I　must　rest　awhile.Tonight　I　have　to　sing　with　all　I　have.　Please,my　good　brother,go　to　the　theater　and　get　things　ready　for　the　offering　ceremony.You　have　a　better　memory　than　I.　Please　get　things　ready　for　me.　I'll　treat　you　to　drinks　after　the　show."

Thus,　by　begging　and　persuading,　he　talked　Useless　Fang　into　helping　him,　and　then　had　to　listen　to　Useless　Fang's　idea　of　how　the　theater　should　be　arranged　for　the　ceremony.　Fang　liked　to　show　he　was　a　man　of　great　knowledge.

“Yes,　my　good　elder　brother,"　Pao　Ching　assented,　“I　agree　with　you　—　but　please　don't　talk　any　more.　It's　already　after　two.　Please　go　now."

Soon　it　was　four　o'clock.　The　ceremony　was　to　be　held　backstage.Useless　Fang　had　prepared　everything　in　an　orderly　manner.He　had　arranged　an　altar　on　which　were　written　the　names　of　King　Zhou　Zhuang　—　the　very　founder　of　stage　performance,　in　black　characters　on　red　paper.　In　front　of　the　altar　was　the　offering　table,　on　which　were　set　tall　red　candles,　a　huge　pewter　incense　burner,　and　a　few　dishes　of　food　and　fruit,　with　three　cups　of　white　wine.　Around　the　sides　of　the　table　hung　an　embroidered　satin　cloth　of　bright　red.

There　were　benches　along　three　of　the　walls.　In　the　center　of　the　room　was　a　long　table,　covered　with　a　white　tablecloth,　on　which　were　a　teapot　and　teacups,　cakes　and　melon　seeds,　cigarettes,and　a　vase　of　freshly　cut　flowers.

The　local　variety　entertainers　who　had　been　engaged　for　the　show　came　in　one　after　another.　They　were　dressed　shabbily,　because　they　had　been　out　of　work　for　a　long　time.　Some　of　them　were　smoking　long　tobacco　pipes.　Others　puffed　at　cigarettes,　as　they　fanned　themselves　with　palm_leaf　fans.

The　door　opened　suddenly.　Pao　Ching　walked　in.　He　did　not　look　at　any　particular　person.　He　just　bowed　deeply,　his　bald　head　moving　in　semicircles　from　left　to　right,　and　said　repeatedly,　“Please　be　seated,　please　be　seated."　He　knew　there　were　few　of　them　who　did　not　stand　up　to　receive　him.　He　did　not　think　much　of　the　local　entertainers　and　the　local　entertainers　thought　little　of　people　from　“down　river".　But　Pao　Ching　did　not　wish　to　make　this　dislike　toward　each　other　more　obvious　than　necessary.

He　straightened　himself.　Lotus　Charm　walked　slowly　in.　Smilingly　he　introduced　her　to　them,　“This　is　my　daughter　Lotus　Charm."

Lotus　Charm　smiled　mischievously.　She　bowed　slightly,　then　walked　to　the　table,　picked　a　flower　and　pinned　it　on　her　dress.

“Lotus　Charm,"　Pao　Ching　called,　“serve　our　guests　some　melon　seeds."　Pao　Ching　was　still　standing　at　the　door,　waiting　for　his　wife.

Lotus　Charm　picked　up　the　dish　of　melon　seeds.　She　took　one　for　herself,　but　put　it　back　as　she　was　about　to　pop　it　in　her　mouth.

“This　is　my　wife."　Pao　Ching　was　again　introducing.

Mrs.　Fang　nodded　with　poise　and　dignity.　She　sat　with　the　entertainers.　She　tried　to　speak　to　the　local　entertainers　in　their　Szechwan　dialect,　while　they　tried　to　speak　to　her　in　her　Mandarin.　Nobody　understood　anybody,　but　they　all　felt　they　were　polite　to　each　other.

“Oh,big　brother,"　Pao　Ching　said,　running　over　to　Useless　Fang.　“Wonderful,　wonderful,　too　wonderful.　I　couldn't　have　done　a　better　job　of　decorating."　He　looked　around　as　he　spoke.

Useless　Fang　smiled　with　pleasure　when　he　heard　his　brother's　unreserved　praise.　He　yawned　and　stretched　to　show　Pao　Ching　how　tired　he　was.

The　theater　staff　began　to　arrive　now:　the　ushers,　the　man　at　the　ticket　office,　the　stage　hands,　the　musicians.　They　were　not　artists,　and　there　was　really　no　need　for　them　to　attend　the　offering　ceremony.　But　Pao　Ching　had　invited　them　all,　because　he　wanted　to　show　them　that　show　people　too　had　traditions　and　their　own　God　to　govern　them;　they　were　not　wild　unwanted　beggars　as　many　people　thoutht.

The　Tangs　arrived　last　to　show　their　importance.　Mrs.　Tang　led　the　family　procession,　Jeweled　Lute　next,　then　Fourth　Master　Tang,　with　Little　Liu　tailing　pitifully　like　an　unwanted　orphan.

Mrs.　Tang　wore　a　loose　shimmering　green　silk　gown　that　made　her　look　four　times　as　large　as　Fourth　Master　Tang.　Her　fleshy　face　was　covered　with　a　thick　paste　of　makeup,　and　her　lips　were　heavily　smeared　with　lipstick.　She　was　weighted　down　with　jewels:　a　pair　of　huge　earrings,　four　rings　on　her　fingers,　all　of　them　set　with　fake　diamonds　that　glittered　under　the　lights.

The　moment　she　entered,　she　waddled　directly　over　to　Mrs.　Fang　and　Lotus　Charm,　and　hailed　them　as　if　they　were　her　dearest　friends.　“My　good　sister,　and　why　—　the　Little　Lotus　Girl,　so　beautiful."　Then　she　greeted　the　Fang　brothers.　The　others,　she　passed　by　with　a　stare.

Without　consulting　Pao　Ching,　Mrs.　Tang　ordered　her　husband　to　come　forward.　“Burn　the　incense　for　the　Gods！"　She　wanted　him　to　be　master　of　this　offering　ceremony.

But　Pao　Ching　pulled　Fourth　Master　Tang　aside　and　shook　his　head.　He　was　the　head　of　the　company;　he　could　not　let　anyone　else　be　master　of　the　ceremony.　So　he　stepped　up　to　the　altar　and　lit　the　punk　sticks.　When　they　were　giving　out　curling　wisps　of　blue　smoke　he　stuck　them　in　the　incense　burner.　Then　he　lit　the　candles.　The　sudden　brightness　on　the　altar,　the　glow　of　color,　and　the　perfume　of　the　incense　made　everybody　silent　and　solemn　of　face.　Reverently　Pao　Ching　kowtowed　to　the　Gods　of　Show　People.　On　them　his　living　depended;　they　brought　customers　to　the　theater　and　gave　him　the　gift　of　song.　He　knelt　then,　and　prayed　to　the　Gods　to　help　him　succeed,　to　bless　Lotus　Charm,and　to　keep　Mrs.　Tang　and　her　husband　from　causing　trouble.

Outside　the　theater　thunderous　firecrackers　were　set　off.