Chinese audience are paying their last respect to famous Chinese crosstalk artist Ma Ji, who passed away Wednesday in Beijing. He died of heart failure at age of 72.

Ma Ji is regarded as a master of the traditional performing art of "xiangsheng," or "crosstalk."

Ma learned xiangsheng from the prestigious crosstalk master Hou Baolin when he was very young. He carried on the tradition of amusing audiences with satirical dialogues and further developed his own genre of glorifying heroic people.

Ma Ji is an artist favored among the people and many of his routines are still fondly recalled by his devoted fans. 
 
"I have listened to his crosstalks since I was a child. I like his performances very much. His death is a great loss "

Yang Shaohua, another noted crosstalk performer, says Ma Ji has devoted all his life to the art of crosstalk. 
 
"He is an honest man. He has made great contributions to crosstalk. I feel very sad about his passing."