As soon as Buddhism in China ceased to be a power the priests became a despised class and being despised they have often given occasion to others to despise them.
I am aware that quite a different view is held of the stage in America and Europe, and that actors and actresses are placed on an equal footing with other members of society.

This does not, of course, mean that either America or Europe lays less stress on sincerity than China, but simply that we have developed in different ways.

I have heard of the old "morality plays", I know that English drama, like the Egyptian, Greek, and Indian, had its origin in religion, but this alone will not explain the different attitude assumed toward actors in the West from that taken up in China.[1] I am inclined to think that the reason why actors are not despised in the West as they are in China is because the West considers first the utility of pleasure, and the East the supremacy of sincerity.

Here, as is so frequently the case, apparent differences are largely differences of emphasis.

The West would seem to emphasize the beauty of the desire to please where Chinese consider the effect on character or business.