Wens (Sanlian Select)

Author: Cao Juren
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-04-01
Features: This is a collection of essays by the renowned modern writer and scholar Cao Juren. It primarily consists of articles on literary criticism and appreciation. The author, with profound artistic cultivation and familiarity with modern literary figures and works, selects famous authors and works from ancient and modern China and abroad for discussion, exploring the creative principles and merits of various literary genres such as novels, dramas, and poetry. His arguments are often both incisive and vividly concrete, unlike the abstract and hollow nature of general literary and poetic theories. The sections on modern literature are particularly brilliant.
Excerpt: On "Humor"
Today is my own punishment, this topic would be best delivered by Mr. Lin Yutang, who runs a company called "Lunyu" in Shanghai, specializing in such subjects. However, do not be fooled by Mr. Lin's tricks, thinking that the "Humor" shop is truly "the only one, with no branches." That is a lie. "Humor" may be a foreign import, but it is a genuine Chinese product, ancient since time immemorial. The Historian Sima Qian's "Biographies of the Witty" mention that beyond the grand Dao, there is also a "small path" of "subtle words that strike at the heart, capable of resolving disputes." Figures like Chunyu Kun, You Meng, and You Zhan were all "skilled in wit, in harmony with the grand Dao." You Meng once wore the robes of Sun Shuao to mock the King of Chu through performance, already a manifestation of "humor." During the Wei and Jin periods, the fashion of "pure talks" flourished, and literati and scholars deeply appreciated the essence of "humor." Fragments preserved in "The Tales of the World" are still celebrated by later generations. At that time, He Yan, Wang Yan, and Le Guang were so witty and lively that they charmed everyone, much like the professors at Oxford and Cambridge in their cigar seats. The trend of "pure talks" faded by the Sui and Tang dynasties, but witty and humorous dialogues were preserved in works like Han Dan's "Laughing Forest" (post-Han), Hou Bai's "Records of Amusing Faces" (Sui), Ai Zi's "Miscellaneous Sayings" (attributed to Su Dongpo), as well as the existing "Unveiling the Joy of Laughter" and "The Broadest Laughing Forest." These contain wit, playfulness, satire, and humor, often exquisitely profound. After the Tang and Song dynasties, slapstick plays became popular. The so-called "jiaoren opera" centered on clown characters, telling stories everywhere, imbued with satirical meaning. Lu Benzhong's "Tongmeng Xun" states: "Those who perform zaju must enter with a burst of humor and exit with a burst of humor." Wu Zimou's "Mengliang Lu" says: "Zaju relies entirely on stories, aiming for wit." For example, during the Xiangfu and Tianxi years, Yang Daonian, Qian Wenxi, Yan Yuanshen, and Liu Ziyi rose to prominence through their writings, all adhering to Li Yishan's style; later generations often stole his phrases. During an imperial banquet, a clown dressed as Li Yishan, with tattered clothes, told people, "I was torn apart by these court officials." Those who heard laughed. Another example: In the second year of the Chongning era, the Ministry of Agriculture reported a shortage, and a proposal was made to halve salaries. The clowns then dressed as scholars, removing half of their belts and robes. The audience, puzzled, asked why, and they replied, "Halved." Later, both legs wore half of a trouser, staggering forward. Asked again, they said, "Halved." The clown sighed, "I only knew it would be halved, never that it would be impossible to carry out!" (From Zeng Minxing's "Duxing Zazhi") These were extremely humorous performances. After the Northern and Southern Qu Opera, the clown remained an important role in theater. Li Liren once said, "If one man doesn't laugh, I am troubled." Before the trend of praising actresses took hold, there were many famous clowns in the court circles. The literati of the late Ming Dynasty's Anqing schools were exceptionally skilled in writing humorous texts. For example, Yuan Zhonglang's "Bihuizhang Collection," Zhang Zongzi's "Taoyan Mengyi," and Zhong Bojing's "Zhong Bojing Collection" often contain masterpieces that are perfectly timed and leave a lasting impression. Yuan Zhonglang's "Introduction to Bihui's Pure Room" describes two monks in a pure land: one who indulges in alcohol and the other who is dedicated to pilgrimage. Both are endearing. That widower, who had been drinking and singing for twenty years, found a wife during a famine but soon found himself in chaos, unable to make ends meet. It is amusing to look at, but deeply meaningful to ponder.
In the Qing Dynasty, there were many notes on literature, not only Jin Shengtan and Li Liren who wrote sketches, but also many scholars of textual research who could. After the 12th and 13th years of the Republic of China, sketches flourished, and "humor" texts had long been written. The "Lunyu" company was not the only shop for humor; before it, there was the "Camel Grass" company, and before that, the "Yushi" company; many shareholders of the "Lunyu" company were former associates of the "Yushi" company. Originally, "humor" was not an only child; it had several brothers: "satire," "playfulness," and "slapstick." They have slightly different temperaments but extremely similar appearances, as if they were twins. When "humor" was born, Mr. Lin Yutang named it, but Mr. Lu Xun found the two characters easily misunderstood as "silent" or "tranquil." Mr. Li Qingya changed it to "yumiao," but "yumiao" cannot include actions. Instead, Mr. Chen Wangdao changed it to "youhu," and Mr. Yi Peiji called it Laozi's "yumu," which represents one aspect of "humor." In my opinion, there is no better translation for "humor" than Mr. Tang Tonghou's "xie mu," where "xie" represents one side and "mu" represents the other, perfectly capturing "humor." However, since "humor" is already widely used, it is difficult to change it now.
This group of brothers, their appearances ultimately make you laugh. You smile at "humor," laugh bitterly at "satire," chuckle at "playfulness," and roar at "slapstick." There are differences in depth, but the essence of laughter is the same. In Shanghai, all joyful plays are called "slapstick." The two famous film characters, Charlie Chaplin and Rock, are called "slapstick artists." In reality, there are significant differences between them. Rock makes people laugh, but Chaplin goes beyond that. Chaplin's "Circus," "Gold Rush," and "City Lights" convey a cold breeze amidst the laughter, making you deeply feel the hardships of the world. That poor boy with a crooked cane is always wandering alone. At the end of the circus, the carriages are far away, leaving only a rolling dust cloud. He stands alone, lost, can you not shed tears for him? His sorrow comes from such a deep place, not expressed through cold mockery, but through sincere love and passion, reaching the pinnacle of his art. Kojuro Higashi said, "To prevent humor from falling into cold mockery, the greatest factor is pure sympathy. Sympathy is the foundation of everything. Humor fears too little sympathy. Those who laugh at life as a game are cold mockery. Those who laugh while deeply appreciating the dignity of life and retaining a profound love for humanity are humor. Relying on the virtue of a smiling face, a touch of warmth appears in our bleak lives."
Thus, let us briefly analyze the personalities of these brothers. Nature has always mocked and humiliated humanity. The Sphinx stands before us, and those who cannot answer must be eaten as snacks. Those mocked and humiliated by fate seem extremely foolish; when people discover each other's foolishness, they laugh involuntarily—this is "slapstick." Those who suffer fate's tricks but dare not resist can only sneer—this is "playfulness." Those who are unwilling to submit but lack the power to resist can only smile bitterly—this is "satire." When one sees through life's tragedies and feels infinite sympathy, a gentle smile becomes "humor" (Kojuro Higashi said, "Tears and laughter are only separated by a sheet of paper; only those who have tasted the depth of tears can understand the joy of life's laughter.").
What I can discuss is just this. Recently, while giving a lecture on the meaning of humor at an arts research society, I explained it as: "When one sees through life's tragedies and feels infinite sympathy, a gentle smile becomes humor." Like Chaplin's "Circus," "Gold Rush," and "City Lights," the laughter is filled with a cold breeze, making everyone deeply feel the world's hardships. That poor boy with a crooked cane is always wandering alone. At the end of the circus, the carriages are far away, leaving only a rolling dust cloud. He stands alone, lost, can you not shed tears for him? His sorrow comes from such a deep place, not expressed through cold mockery, but through sincere love and passion, reaching the pinnacle of his art.
In short, the essence of humor is "laughter with tears."
Recently, someone asked me to explain the methods of expressing humor. Mr. Wang Xiaoyin once discussed the four laws of slapstick: the law of alternation, the law of errors, the law of inversion, and the law of coincidence. These four laws are also applicable to expressing humor. The result of humor, like slapstick, satire, and wit, is to make people laugh, and the methods are largely the same. The motivation for laughter lies in discovering abnormalities in the object, so the law of errors is the most common method. For example, wearing summer cotton in winter or winter fur in summer; Chaplin eating shoes as ducks and Rock using cheese as soap—all can make people laugh. As "Laughing Forest" says: A man and a woman argue, the man bites off the woman's nose, and the officials want to punish him. The man claims the woman bit it off herself. The official says, "A woman's nose is high and her mouth is low, how could she bite it?" The man says, "She stepped on the bed and bit it." This is laughter caused by abnormal thinking, making people laugh involuntarily. Another method of expressing humor is comparison. For example, Wu Dalang is three feet tall, and his shortness is already laughable; Chang Shude is ten feet tall, and his height is also laughable. Once Chang Shude and Wu Dalang stand together, the laughter is so intense it hurts the belly—this is the method of comparison.
There is also another method of expression, using puns. For example, Wang Yuanmei lived in Taicang, and a wealthy villager hosted a banquet, serving stinking turtles as food and pears as fruit. Wang and the guests raised their cups and laughed, saying, "In this world, all sorrows and hardships are nothing but death and separation." This is the method of puns.
However, there are often excellent jokes that have used "errors," "comparison," and "puns," yet fail to make people laugh. That is a flaw in the technique of expressing humor. Avoid being too obscure, so that the audience does not understand, but also avoid being too obvious, leaving no room for. Thus, subtlety is a condition of technique. Guide the audience into the trap, let them explore on their own once they are in, and share the joy of creation with the author—this is the power of subtlety. For example, in the fourth issue of "Lunyu," page 130, "Yuhua," it records Wu Jingxiong's eloquence. The title "Wu Jun's stern face said: You are wrong" already makes the intention clear, but adding the line "it provoked a thunderous laugh in the classroom" below it kills the interest.
In literature, is often used to express the true meaning of the content through indirect words and actions. Expressing humor also often uses this method. For example, in "Unveiling the Joy of Laughter," it is recorded: A man held his writings to seek advice from a respected scholar. The scholar highly praised his calligraphy. The man said, "I only ask for guidance on the article." The scholar said, "In my opinion, it's still this brush." Clearly, the scholar was saying the man's article was not good but praised his calligraphy—that is an indirect way of saying it. In the fifth issue of "Lunyu," Qi Fan's "Record of the Shanghai Municipal Government's Liu Yansu European Tour Art Exhibition," it is clearly satirizing Liu Yansu, but he mentions the Shanghai Municipal Government, Liu Yansu's life, the Yingshi Memorial Hall, the Shousheng Temple story, the hosts, the lighting, the stalls, even urinating, but never mentions Liu Yansu's works. The meaning is implied, and that is the charm.
However, even with subtlety and skill in hinting, it is not always possible to fully express humor. In such cases, attention must be paid to two additional techniques: to be serious, and to be concentrated. Mr. Fu Yanchang once said, "Tian Han's 'stern face spitting dung' is not funny; spitting dung is not funny, and a stern face is not funny, but only a stern face spitting dung is funny." Mr. Tang Tonghou translates "humor" as "xie mu," meaning one side of humor is "xie" and the other is "mu." Without "xie," it is not humor; without "mu," it is not humor. Only when "xie" and "mu" are combined can humor be seen. Mr. Lu Xun told jokes, but he never laughed himself. Most skillful joke-tellers are the same. Therefore, a serious attitude, acting and speaking as if it were a serious matter, can sometimes succeed even if the material is slightly inferior. The second is concentration. Expressing humor is like a summer thunderstorm—after the rain, the clouds disperse, and the sun shines. Each joke should have only one focus; before reaching the peak, it must be nurtured until it bursts forth completely, without dragging on or being overly verbose.
However, even if the best efforts are made in expressing humor, if it still fails to achieve the desired outcome of making people laugh, it may be due to whether the level of the audience matches the level of the humor. The match or mismatch can be divided into three categories: "time," "place," and "knowledge." Dr. Mei Kun came from the United States to Japan as a professor. When giving lectures, he said many funny things, but the audience did not laugh. He had no choice but to say, "I will no longer tell jokes from now on." This was due to regional limitations, as the customs and habits of the audience were different, making it impossible for them to appreciate it.
For example, in "Laughing Forest," the "Student's Essay": The imperial examiner set the topic "There are indeed such things." The student's essay said, "In this world, there are no people without hats." The examiner marked, "I alone have none." Later, when reading the next part, it said, "Those who call themselves without hats must have many hats." The emperor quickly erased the original mark. It was extremely funny at that time, but now it is not considered particularly amusing. This is due to the difference in time. The most important factor is the difference in knowledge level. For example, in the third issue of "Lunyu," Han Musan's "Mozi and Me" is considered one of the best works since the founding of "Lunyu," yet some said Mr. Lin Yutang should not have published this article. Perhaps those with simple minds easily grasp the abnormal, but those who need to think deeply find it difficult to understand.
For example, in "Laughing Forest," a scholar loved to fart. He dug a hole in the chair to let out the gas. The landlord saw it and asked why. The scholar explained his reasoning. The landlord said, "Just fart, why make a hole?" Many people laughed at the scholar's love for farting and digging a hole in the chair, but they did not understand the original author's intention, which lay in the line "Just fart, why make a hole?" Knowledge mismatch can make a father unable to explain to his son, or a husband unable to explain to his wife. Sometimes, truly appreciating humor requires some training!
However, if one advances even further, humorous works can also become great, enjoyable by both the refined and the common, with the deep finding depth and the shallow finding something to their liking. Returning to Chaplin's works, old and young, men and women, intelligent and foolish, all leave satisfied, each with their own critiques and insights—this shows the perfection of artistic craftsmanship. Zhuangzi said, "The great earth breathes, it is called wind. It does not act, but when it acts, all things roar. Have you not heard the rustling of the wind? The fear of the mountains, the holes of the great trees, like noses, mouths, ears, beams, mortars, and ditches. The rushing, the splashing, the snorting, the sucking, the crying, the groaning, the bursting, the biting. The former sing, and the latter follow in whispers. Cold wind brings small harmony, strong wind brings great harmony, and when the fierce wind passes, all holes are empty. Have you not seen the gentle and sharp rustling?"
Such great works are not found in the only humorous "Lunyu" company. This is precisely what awaits our efforts.