Laughing Forest Records

Author: Zhong Lei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Those familiar with Chinese culture know that Laughing Forest is a long-standing and widely influential collection of popular jokes, containing over a thousand jokes, and is a rare treasure in China's joke treasury. Upon its birth, it became popular both in China and was loved by people from high-ranking officials to hardworking commoners. In the 18th century, the talented Japanese writer Kaze no Yama San translated it into Japanese and introduced it to Japan, where it became the "pet" of the Japanese people. It is said that the only remaining original copy of this book is still preserved in the National Diet Library of Japan. Laughing Forest not only reflects the attitude and perspectives of the working people towards life, records their life experiences, and expresses their yearning for a better life, but more importantly, it showcases their satire of the evil customs and practices in the world, their hatred for feudal evil forces, and their advice to rulers. It is the crystallization of the wisdom of the working people. These witty and humorous jokes not only make people laugh heartily and bring joy to body and mind but also serve important social functions, helping us to gain a clear understanding and recognition of feudal society.