Ma Sanli, who is the oldest crosstalk artist in China and is called "Grandpa" by most of his colleagues, said good-bye to his audience here last Saturday evening.
A number of well-known comedians joined him on stage in the farewell show by their "Grandpa", which was held in the Tianjin People's Stadium in front of a large audience.
Ma, an 88-year old man who has been on stage for eight decades, is now suffering from bladder cancer, according to media reports.
In 1914, he was born into a family of crosstalk artists in the neighboring Beijing City. Ma began learning his art in 1929 and since then he has experienced highs and lows during his long career.
The old man joined the Communist Party of China in 1984. "The audience is my biggest treasure," he says.
(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2001)
