Peking Opera Diplomacy and Shared History: The Case Study of Mei Lanfang’s Visit to the United States in 1930

In 1930, when the United States was suffering from the Great Depression and China was going through the Civil War in Central China (Zhongyuan dazhan), the famous Chinese Peking Opera performer Mei Lanfang visited the United States for 182 days against all odds, giving 96 performances in seven major American cities to an audience of over 100,000 people and generating over $300,000 in ticket sales.

This presentation first discusses the essential reasons for the exceptional success of Peking Opera diplomacy conducted by Mei Lanfang, including its private nature, the outstanding capability of Chinese storytelling, and innovative reforms of the Peking Opera to adapt to the American culture and audience. In addition, the presentation addresses the specific evaluations of Mei Lanfang’s Peking Opera by American audiences and theater professionals. Furthermore, it analyzes the actual impact of the Chinese Peking Opera on American theater. Finally, by comparing the Peking Opera diplomacy of 1930 and the Ping-Pong diplomacy of 1971, this presentation concludes that together they have constructed a shared history between China and the U.S. through people-to-people diplomacy and the interactions between the theater and sports of the two countries. The performing arts and sports have similar diplomatic functions, as both help to dilute political rivalries, ideological polarities, and geopolitical animosities.