RAS-1982 — Page 359

BOOK REVIEWS

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according to the social groups supporting them, into the following types:

(I) Theatre organized by territorial groups

(IA) The theatre of market based village unions

(IB) The theatre of agriculturally based village unions

(IC) Village community theatre

(II) Theatre conducted by kin groups

(IIA) Theatre jointly organized by clan communities

(IIB) Theatre separately organized by 'branch groups' of clans

(IIC) Theatre organized by family groups'

(III) New theatre developed in the emerging towns

(IIIA) Theatre conducted by merchants (Expansion of 1A)

(IIIB) New theatre conducted by small and medium landowners instead of big landlords (Expansion of IB and IC)

(IIIC) New family theatre conducted by the small and medium landowner classes in town (Expansion of IIC)

Looking at ritual theatre in Hong Kong, the author suggests that the early ritual settlers, whether Hakka, Cantonese or Hoklo, appear to develop theatre of the community type (IC + IIA), while the Cantonese living in the city develop the town type (IIIA + IIIB). As to the theatre developed by the Ch'au-chou people in Hong Kong, this, generally speaking, is similar to the clan type (IIB + IIC).

The third aspect of the book is a discussion of the problem of the diffusion of ritual theatre. The author condenses the diffusion routes of ritual theatre under (1) diffusion through the clan or bureaucratic network, (2) diffusion through the commercial marketing network, and (3) diffusion through peasants' migration.