Selected Jokes from Chinese History (1) ((Chinese-English Parallel Text))

Author: Liu Jian Ting
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-01-01
Features: Life cannot be separated from jokes, and jokes cannot be separated from life. Over thousands of years, the hardworking and wise Chinese people, while creating a splendid ancient civilization, have left behind a rich cultural heritage for later generations—tens of thousands of jokes from different dynasties. They are either humorous, satirical, witty, or biting; they expose social flaws, mock bad customs, offer lessons, and promote good over evil. Rooted in the broad social life, they have thrived and remained vibrant through the ages. Today, we have selected hundreds of these jokes, refined their wording, added brief annotations, illustrations, and English translations, compiling them into several volumes.
Set against the backdrop of social life, these jokes reveal the greed, cunning, flattery, and foolishness prevalent in society at the time, while also showcasing people's ingenuity and humor. Regardless of how diverse these stories may be, they always revolve around laughter. Often, a single amusing incident, a snippet, or even a witty remark can, through exaggeration and imagination, make people burst into laughter uncontrollably. While bringing joy and laughter, these jokes also broaden knowledge and help people discern truth from falsehood, beauty from ugliness, and good from evil.
The compilers have selected 102 jokes from the vast collection of Chinese jokes over the centuries, presenting them in a bilingual Chinese-English format with illustrations, offering an interesting and beneficial reading material for foreign friends learning Chinese. These jokes also reflect the ethical values of the Chinese people and will contribute to mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people of all nations.