Laughing Forest Records

Author: Tang Kesheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: The Witty World (Xiaolin Guangji) covers a wide range of topics and exhibits diverse forms. It serves as an artistic expression for the people to criticize villains, expose darkness, and advise and educate others. Through a series of humorous stories, it vividly recreates phenomena of folk customs, human interests, social realities, and bureaucratic corruption in feudal society. Readers will experience joy and satisfaction in laughter, ranging from belly-laughing to knowing smiles, from biting humor to laughing through tears, from solemn to profound, to high-level laughter, as well as from crude to instinctual, lower-level laughter. Laughter permeates all aspects of life. The Witty World differs from other classical works in that its language is relatively colloquial. Therefore, in the translation and annotations, only a few obscure or difficult words and phrases were explained. It also emphasizes the comic nature of the content, so the translation is primarily idiomatic, with direct translations used as much as possible. It is hoped that through these lively and humorous jokes, readers will not only gain enlightenment and benefit but also enjoy a relaxed artistic experience, contributing to physical and mental well-being. At the same time, it will help readers expand their knowledge of classical literature. Due to its accessibility, it is particularly suitable for young people who are new to the world of Chinese classical literature.