11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
There are several anecdotes relating to the renowned Chinese poet Su Dongpo 苏東坡 (1036-1101), and jesters. Su wore a kind of hat which was named after him. During the Xining reign period (1068–1077) of Song Shenzong 宋神宗, some jesters acted out a skit in which they...
11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
In the Tiansheng reign period (1023-32) of Emperor Song Renzong 宋仁宗 a banquet was held at which poems were to be presented, the rhyming scheme to follow the word paihuai, or ‘dithering’. Jesters put on a skit using the various meanings of the word. A...
11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
The capacity to compose poems was long a critical skill among China’s elite. Similarly, the ability to come up with rhymes or ditties was a common qualification of jesters, complementing all round verbal quick wittedness. In this anecdote, a Chinese jester may...
11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
Chinese jesters didn’t hesitate to mock the great names of Chinese thinking and religion, including Confucius. And just as jesters everywhere could be upbraided for such irreverence, here we see an official presenting a memo to the emperor to complain of the...
11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
During the Tianxi reign period (1017-21) of Song Zhenzong 宋真宗 (r. 997-1022), Yang Danian, Qian Wenxi, Yan Yuanxian and Liu Ziyi all won a place at court by virtue of their literary achievements. Their poetry belonged to the school of Li Shangyin 李商隐 (813-58) and...
11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, Liao dynasty, primary source, quotes
An outright statement of a jester’s using humour to offer corrective advice. `Although at that time jesters of the Liao court were numerous, there was only Light Coat Luo (Luo Yiqing 羅衣輕) who could use humour to offer indirect advice, thereby dispelling disorder...
11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
During the Xining reign period (1068-77) of Emperor Shenzong 宋神宗 (r. 1067-85), Prime Minister Wang Anshi (1021-86) implemented his New Reform Laws. Wanting to make use of people’s talents, he sometimes bypassed the formal channels to appoint people who had not...
11th century, folk fool, historical figure, Persia, Persian, primary source, quotes, stories
Talhak, jester to Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna (r. 998-1030), enjoyed a close and easy relationship with him. See also the lexicon entry for ‘dalhak’, apparently deriving from Talhak’s name, and another example of his cuckold jokes. Like jesters in...
