司徒雷登助力梅兰芳访美新考

John Leighton Stuart and Mei Lanfang’s American Tour

1930年梅兰芳出访美国,受到了海内外人士的诸多帮助,其成功的经验在多次出访中最有借鉴意义。其中,燕京大学校长司徒雷登至关重要。然而司徒具体做了何事,现有记载并不详尽。本文从国内外档案馆新发掘的一些史料出发,还原了司徒助梅的诸多细节,并揭示出司徒此举的私人动机:借梅兰芳扩大燕京在海内外的影响力,从而助力燕京发展。本文亦分析了燕京与公演团队其他参与者之间的张力,并推测其在访美活动正式启动后淡出的原因。以司徒雷登为中心,能窥见梅兰芳访美各方支持者是如何在不同动机的驱使下,共同创造了该演出盛事。透过司徒也能获悉访美的更多经验:借助文化资本雄厚的外国人士,以打通各界;照顾支持者的现实利益,达成双赢局面;保持开放,因地制宜、随机应变,发挥团队人才的力量,不断调整和完善公演的策略。

Among those who helped Mei Lanfang in his American tour in 1930, John Leighton Stuart, president of Yenching University, was a vital agent. What Stuart has done for Mei,however, remains largely unspecified. This article examines new materials from home and abroad to illustrate Stuart’s contribution and reveals his motivation: promoting Yenching University in China and the United States. It also explains why Yenching subsequently stayed out of the picture of Mei’s American tour. Through studying the role of Stuart, we can get a glimpse of the motives of Mei’s supporters and tension among them. This article summarizes useful experiences for the success of the American tour from Stuart’s participation: making connections and expanding influence through those with rich cultural resource;being mindful of supporters’ interest so as to achieve a win-win situation;being open and flexible, giving full play to the strength of team talents, and constantly adjusting the performance strategy.