CMTA Collection 《梅兰芳：中国最优秀的演员》，作者梁社乾，1929年出版，美国华人博物馆（MOCA）中国音乐剧社馆藏
Mei Lanfang was one of Chinese modern theater’s most famous Peking opera stars and the first to begin spreading the art form abroad. Mei was born in Beijing in 1894 to a family of Peking opera and Kunqu performers. He began training in Chinese opera skills at age 8 and made his stage debut by 11. Mei was most famous for his refined portrayals of female characters, earning him the nickname “Queen of Peking Opera.”
Mei forged friendships with and influenced his Western contemporaries during cultural exchanges; these included Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and playwright Bertold Brecht. When Japan occupied Beijing in 1937, Mei was made a high ranking official and ordered by the Japanese Army’s commander to perform for them, but Mei refused to sing until the end of the war, descending into impoverishment. After 1949, Mei continued his legacy as director of the China Beijing Opera Theater, the Chinese Opera Research Institute, and the vice-chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.
梅兰芳是中国现代戏剧界最著名的京剧演员之一，也是最早将京剧艺术传播到国外的演员。1894年，梅兰芳出生在北京的一个京剧和昆曲演员世家。他8岁开始接受中国戏曲技能的训练，11岁时首次登台。梅兰芳最著名的是他对女性角色的精致刻画，为他赢得了“京剧皇后”的称号。
梅兰芳在文化交流中与西方当代艺术家结下了友谊，并对他们产生了影响；其中包括查理·卓别林、道格拉斯·费尔班克斯和剧作家贝特尔德·布莱希特。1937年日本占领北京后，梅兰芳被任命为高级官员，并被日本军队的指挥官命令为他们表演，但梅兰芳直到战争结束都一直拒绝演唱，这使得他陷入贫困。1949年以后，梅兰芳担任中国京剧院院长、中国戏曲研究所所长和中国文学艺术界联合会副主席继续他的事业传承。
Countdown to the TCS NYC Marathon on November 3, 2019: 216 Days.
2019年是美国第一条横贯大陆铁路建成150周年，为了纪念第一批华人来美建设这条铁路所做出的巨大贡献， MOCA将其2019 TCS NYC Marathon的活动命名为 MOCA Spike 150 – Running Forward With Our Stories！ 鼓励大家通过马拉松公益跑，全国线上接力，以及一天一个故事的方式讲述150个华人的历史故事，敬请大家持续关注， 讲出华人自己的故事，回顾过去，立足现在，展望未来，共同书写美国历史，使之更加充实完整。