Film and Theater: A Few Details About James Zee-min Lee / Li Shimin 李時敏

Hong Kong Who’s Who: An Almanac of Personalities and Their History, 1958–1960

Lee, James Zee-Min, 李時敏, Author; born September 7th, Cantonese, Protestant; educated at St. Stephen’s College, Hongkong, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.; Author of “Chinese Potpourri” and “The Song of Lee Kee”. Founder and Life Member of the Sun Lodge No. 114, Shanghai; Life Member of Amity Lodge No. 106, Shanghai; Member of Signet Chapter No. 57 Royal Arch, Los Angeles Commandery No. 9  Los Angeles Council No. 11, Royal and Select Masters; Jinnistan Grotto No. 76; Los Angeles Consistory and Al Malaikah Shrine in America.

Addresses: 4 Tsat Tze Mui Road, North Point, Hongkong and G.P.O. Box 665 Hongkong.

Hongkong Album, Fourth Edition, 1966

Lee, James Zee-Min
李時敏
Author: 4 Swallow Road, Ground Floor, Hongkong; G.P.O. Box 665, Hongkong, Tel: 707141. Born in Canton; Chinese; Protestant; Educ. St. Stephen’s College, Hongkong; William Holman’s School of Elocution, Sydney, Australia; University of Southern California, U.S.A.

Literary Works: “Chinese Potpourri”; “Song of Lee Kee”; “The Stone Monkey King”; “Romance of the Chinese Theatre.”

Chinese Technical Advisor for MGM’s “Good Earth” and other film productions for four years; Narrator and Manager, Chinese Cultural Theatre Group on its two tours throughout the United States, 1946 and 1947; Founder and Life Member, Sun Lodge No. 114; Life Member, Amity Lodge No. 106; Member, Hongkong Square Club; Signet Chapter No. 57 Royal Arch Masons; Los Angeles Commandery No. 9; Los Angeles Council No. 11 Royal and Select Masters; Jinnistan Grotto No. 76; Los Angeles Consistory and Al Malaikah Shrine; Recently appointed Hongkong representative, The World Craft Council of New York.

The Young Companion, February 29, 1928

California Passenger List

departed Shanghai, October 28, 1932; arrived Los Angeles, California, November 18, 1932

California Passenger List

departed Shanghai, July 7, 1934; arrived Los Angeles, California, July 25, 1934

Hongkong Telegraph, October 10, 1936

Chinese Digest, October 23, 1936

The Young Companion, January 15, 1937

Daily News, (Los Angeles, California), January 30, 1937, “The Good Earth”

Buffalo Courier-Express (New York), August 28, 1937

The Rainbow Pass, 1937 short film

Chinese Digest, January 1938

Brooklyn Eagle (New York), March 15, 1939, “An Evening in Cathay”

Hongkong Telegraph, November 6, 1939

1940 United States Census
James Zee Min Lee, 1048 West 36th Street, Los Angeles, California; self-employed art dealer

California Passenger List

departed Hong Kong, September 9, 1940; arrived Los Angeles, California, September 30, 1940; deported October 11, 1940

California Passenger List

departed Shanghai, July 18, 1946; arrived San Francisco, California, July 18, 1946

An Evening in Cathay, March 22, 1947, program

Chinese Potpourri, Oriental Publishers, 1950

 

South China Morning Post, November 22, 1950

Chinese Potpourri
Acceptable Book by a H.K. Man

Chinese Potpourri, by James Zee-min Lee. Published by the Oriental Publishers, Hong Kong. $18.

In time for Christmas comes a welcome volume, “Chinese Potpourri”, a collection of discoveries, reminiscences and explanations in answer to some of the questions perpetually asked about China and the Chinese. It is, as Sir Shouson Chow says in a brief preface, a book of quality, though without great pretension. It is smoothly and confidently written and excellently printed and illustrated (by the Local Printing Press). Entirely a Hongkong product, it is one in which the Colony can take pride, and for which it will tender to the author its congratulations and (with the Christmas gift problem upon us) its thanks.

Mr. James Zee-min Lee is of a well-known Australian Chinese family long domiciled in Hongkong. His brother William Yinson Lee will be remembered for his association with the Sun Life Insurance and as a prominent Rotarian. Another brother was the late Mr. George Lee (Li Choi-chi) who won repute as Hongkong’s most popular tenor vocalist. A sister is Mrs. Rose Chow, wife of Mr. Chow Yat-kwong (China Emporium) son of Sir Shouson Chow. To her and to another sister (Mrs. Alice Chow) the book is affectionately dedicated. The author himself probably owes his literary career to his interest in the cinema. From Hongkong he went to Shanghai and thence to Hollywood where, as well as appearing in films, he became a valuable adviser on things Chinese. Keen curiosity had impelled research into Chinese customs, and he had travelled in many parts of the country talking with elders and delving into history and folklore. The result was an accumulation of intriguing information, some of which is now presented in this entertaining and instructive melange.

Of Many Things: The old China hand, collector of many books of this sort, will with some suspicion search his memory for sources and will question the omission of a bibliography. He will find, however, that while the author has drawn upon familiar works he has also carried out much original research. He makes no claim to profundity, with the happy result that his descriptions and interpretations are presented with an engaging simplicity and freshness. In covering a wide field he has also employed a mature faculty for diagnosis; his foreign contacts have enabled him to select accurately those subjects upon which the stranger in China ever inquires. They range from dragons to dynasties, from art and calligraphy to food, flowers, and the departed queue. The festivals, of course, receive due attention—music, also, the Great Wall, fruit, and the source of rice. A revealing chapter is that on the Imperial Eunuchs.

The wealth of explanation, reference and legend tempts the reviewer to quotation; but space forbids. Newcomers to China will find very instructive the chapters on Chinese writing, the ly-chee (fruit), Chinese wines, poetry and music. Historical chapters deal absorbingly with the Ming Emperor (and China’s best known beauty), the Dowager Empress and the last of the Sung Emperors whose refuge near Kowloon City used to be a Hongkong land-mark. There are also a map of China, chronology of Chinese periods and an Anglo-Chinese calendar for 1951.—In conclusion, the reader is presented with the philosophy of Chu Hai, a score and more of maxims on “How to be a Man”. He will close the book with the verdict that the author’s labour of love has been well worth while.

Theater Pictorial: A History of World Theater as Recorded in Drawings, Paintings, Engravings, and Photographs, University of California Press, 1953

Living on Air: Some of the Memories of Wilfrid Thomas, Frederick Muller, 1958

 

 

Related Posts 

The Good Earth

The Rainbow Pass
An Evening in Cathay, 1938–1939

 

(Next post on Wednesday: Poy Gum Lee, Peter Chinn and King Wah Restaurant)

“An Evening in Cathay”, 1938–1939

California Arts and Architecture, October 1938

Chinese music-dramatists from Shanghai present “An Evening in Cathay” in public and private performances in southern California at various times during the month. This group of eleven young Orientals have modern ideas of internationalism in art. The musicians are professors of the Ta-Tung National Music Research Institute and the Shao Chao Institute. They play on instruments used in the time of Confucius.

North-China Herald, October 26, 1938

Tong Troupe Makes U.S. Debut with Acclaim
Los Angeles, Oct. 20.
The Chinese group of society girls and expert musicians under the leadership of Mrs. Ernest Tong, wife of the secretary to General Wu Teh-chen, Governor of Kwangtung Province, presented their first American performance tonight in the fashionable Wilshire-Bell Theatre.

Their presentation, entitled, “An Evening in Cathay,” was well received by both the audience and press rites. The critics praised the Chinese girls and men for their fine dancing and music played on age-old Chinese instruments, many of which were viewed by Americans for the first time.

The performance was attended by a capacity crowd. The cream of local society was present, while Chinese representatives of the local Chinese community were also on hand to see the debut of this trouble of their countrymen and women.

The Tong group is staging performances for raising funds for war relief work in China.—United Press.

The New York Times, December 3, 1938, “Chinese Group Here to Give War Benefit; Bring 40 Trunks Full of Old Costumes”; photograph of Mrs. Ernest S. H. Tong, Virginia Chang and Ethel Chun in costume

ABMAC Bulletin, January 1939

Projects and Activities of the Medical Bureau
... B. The Chinese Cultural Theatrical Group will give a series of performances [“An Evening in Cathay”] at the Mercury Theatre in New York, February 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5th. The Premiere night is being sponsored by the China Society of America. The itinerary throughout the rest of the country will be sent to the various agencies when it is ready. The proceeds will be used for medical relief; 60% for the National Relief Commission, 20% for Madame Chiang’s War Orphan Relief and 20% for relief work in the Kwangtung Province.

Brooklyn Eagle (New York), January 22, 1939, “Chinese Artists to Give Entertainment for Refugees”

Brooklyn Eagle (New York), January 29, 1939, “Chinese Players to Do Scene from ‘Lady Precious Stream’”

The New York Times, January 29, 1939

The New York February program is here.

Brooklyn Eagle (New York), February 2, 1939, review of “An Evening in Cathay”

The New York Times, February 2, 1939, Brooks Atkinson’s review of “An Evening in Cathy” plus photograph of Virginia Chang

North-China Herald, February 8, 1939

China Theatre Group Popular in U.S.
New York, Feb. 1.
Seats at the Mercury Theatre were completely sold out for tonight’s opening of “An Evening in Cathay" which is being presented by a Chinese cultural theatre group from Shanghai to raise funds for Chinese war refugees and for medical aid in China.

Among the members of the group from Shanghai are Mrs. Ernest Tong, director, and Miss Ethel Chun and Miss Virginia Chang, assistant directors. Miss Chang’s mother, Mrs. L. M. Chang, chaperones the group. The musicians have been billed as concert artists or professors.

The performances, which will be held here every night for the remainder of the week, are being sponsored by the American Bureau of Medical Aid to China and the United Council for Civilian Relief in China. The China Society is acting as special sponsor for tonight’s opening performance.

After closing here on Sunday night, the group will tour the entire country. They have already given a number of performances on the west coast.—United Press.

Variety, February 8, 1939, review of “An Evening in Cathay”

The China Weekly Review, February 11, 1939

A Chinese musical production entitled, “An Evening in Cathay,” which was arranged by Mrs. Ernest Tong of Shanghai, is now playing at the Majestic Theater in New York. The performance was favorably reviewed by New York Newspaper critics. The cast is made up entirely of Shanghai artists and was enthusiastically received by a full house on the opening night, according to reports from New York.

Life, February 20, 1939, “Golden Age of Chinese Drama Revived to Aid War-Stricken China of Today”; illustrated with four photographs of Chow Tse-ping, Kwan Hung-ping, Virginia Chang, Ethel Chun and Mrs. Ernest S. H. Tong

Ward-Belmont Hyphen (Nashville, Tennessee), February 22, 1939

Chinese Aristocrats Help War Refugees
The Chinese Theatre Group, ten young men and women of the Chinese aristocracy, presented “An Evening in Cathay” Monday evening at the Shrine Temple. These artists are giving their time and paying their own expenses on this American tour to raise money to aid Chinese war refugees.

The artists, who have a name in China for interest in keeping alive the best of Chinese ancient arts, charmed their audience with their ancient musical instruments and their wide repertoire of solo and orchestral numbers. The “Devil Dance” was presented by one of the men of the cast; this was supposed to represent the King of the Ten Hells on the way to a festival. Mrs. Ernest Tong, the leader of the group, presented a scarf dance using a lovely old scarf fourteen yards long. Last on the program was the last act of “Lady Precious Stream,” a drama some two thousand years old.

The entire performance was marked by rich satins and brocades used in costumes and in settings. So completely was the genuine Chinese motive followed that the audience felt as though they had truly spent “An Evening in Cathay.”

Musical America, February 25, 1939

The Clark University Fine Arts Course offered an extra program on Feb. 7, ‘An Evening in Cathay’, given tor the benefit of Chinese war sufferers, which brought forward a company of a dozen dancers and musicians, many ex-professors in Chinese colleges, whose work and equipment were wiped out by the bombardments. The exquisite costumes, Eastern subtleties of pantomime, and the strange music of the Classical Orchestra, were all most charming.

Vogue, March 1, 1939, “An Evening in Cathay” performers, Mrs. Ernest Tong, Virginia Chang and Ethel Chun, photographed in color by Edward Steichen; article on page 115.

ABMAC Bulletin, March 6, 1939

Acknowledgement
Miss Laura Jee of the Bank of China for her outstanding performance as narrator during the New York run of “An Evening in Cathay.”

Brooklyn Eagle (New York), March 12, 1939, “Chinese Group Brings Classic Dances to the Academy of Music”

Brooklyn Eagle (New York), March 15, 1939, “Chinese Cultural Theatre Group Presents ‘An Evening in Cathay’ for ‘Music and Dance’ Series”

The China Weekly Review, March 25, 1939, “China Drama Group Makes Broadway Hit” and photograph

The Newton Graphic (Massachusetts), April 14, 1939

Chinese Theatre Group at Jordan Hall This Evening
At Jordan Hall this evening the Chinese Cultural Theatre Group will present “An Evening in Cathay” in the only Boston performance of this Chinese cast, the eleven members of which are members of the Chinese Social Register. The presentation, for the benefit of Chinese Relief, is sponsored by the Museum Aid Committee of the Children’s Museum of Jamaica Plain. The play is coached by the famous Mei Lan-fang, greatest of China’s actors, who made a sensational tour of the United States a few years ago. The cast offers a rare opportunity to indulge in the magnificence and fantastic lore of the Orient. ...

The China Weekly Review, October 14, 1939

(Next post on Wednesday: A Few Details About James Zee-min Lee / Li Shimin 李時敏)

Film: The Rainbow Pass

The Rainbow Pass on YouTube

MGM, 1937, 10-minute short

Ching Wah Lee as Wong the farmer

Bessie Loo as Wong’s wife

Walter Soo Hoo as Wong’s son

Richard Loo as Chen Wen Li or Shen Wen Lai

James Zee-min Lee as Wong Pai Tong or Wang Pei Tung

Soo Yong as Tung Fong or Toong Fong

Buffalo Evening News (New York), October 14, 1936

Chinese Digest, October 23, 1936

The Young Companion, January 15, 1937

Ching Wah Lee

This scene was not in the film.

Soo Yong

Left to right: James Zee-min Lee, Soo Yong and Richard Loo.

This scene was not in the film.

James Zee-min Lee aimed arrow at Richard Loo.

James Zee-min Lee and Richard Loo (without arrow).

This scene was not in the film.

James Zee-min Lee, Soo Yong and Richard Loo (with arrow).

This scene was not in the film. 

 

Soo Yong and Richard Loo (with arrow).

Soo Yong battled James Zee-min Lee.

Film still in Theater Pictorial (1953)

Audience

Soo Yong with make-up artist was not in the film.

Spartanburg Herald (South Carolina)
October 21, 1937

Daily News-Journal (Wilmington, Ohio)

November 19, 1937

Fredonia Censor (New York)

December 31, 1937

Chattanooga Times (Tennessee)
March 10, 1938

Daily Alaska Empire (Juneau, Alaska)

August 17, 1938

Hongkong Telegraph 

November 6, 1939

 

 

Further Reading and Viewing

Internet Movie Database

Letterboxd

MGM Shorts Story, May-June 1938

From the Rollins Archives, Soo Yong

The 1937 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures

Secrets of the Chinese Drama (1937), photographs of Mei Lan-fang, in The Rainbow Pass, are here, here, here, and here.

 

 

(Next post on Wednesday: “An Evening in Cathay”, 1938–1939)

 

Comics in China

New York Comics & Picture-Story Symposium
Nick Stember presents The Fast and the Scurrilous: On comics and cartoons in Shanghai in the 1920s and beyond

YouTube: Nick Stember on comics and cartoons in Shanghai in the 1920s and beyond

Nick Stember
The Fake Foreign Devil Is Great!

University of Cambridge
Low Culture Fever: Pulp Science in Chinese Comics After Mao
Nick Stember’s dissertation available as free download
 

New York Comics & Picture-Story Symposium
October 28, 2025, 7pm
John A. Crespi on Chinese Comics in Context: Some Experiments in Magazine and Newspaper Scanlation

 

(Next post on Wednesday: The Rainbow Pass)