Chinese Literature

ae eee

fighter for peace. He sang the simple life of the industrious people of the villages, and ridiculed the corruption of city ways. He sang the praises of honest working men, and castigated incompetent and vicious demagogues. -The comedies which he bequeathed to posterity over two thousand years ago remain a great inspiration to all who fight for peace the world over today.

Hung Shen, the famous Chinese theatrieal director, and Tien Han, Chairman of the Union of Chinese Stage Artists, at a memorial meeting pointed out that Aristophanes was one of the first cham-

pions of peace in world literature. As a leader of progressive thought Aristophanes gave a great impetus to progress in Athenian society. Today his plays have a new significance. For while the Chinese people have a great respect and love for the democratic culture of ancient Greece, while they wish to carry on the militant tradition of Aristophanes in creative writing, they also want to learn from, and pay tribute to, his compatriots, the Greek people of today who are waging such a heroic struggle against the enemies of peace and democracy to bring to birth a newer, greater Greece.

Professor J. D. Bernal speaks on Henry

Fielding at Peking

of

SeorpabZ

203