10th century, 7th century, 8th century, 9th century, Americas, ceramic, fooleum, Mexico, primary source
These two wonderful figurines, one of them in the form of a whistle no less, caught my eye and attention. In fact, we mustn’t be fooled – although they are described as ‘jester gods’, this is only a name given by archaeologists due to their...
9th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
When the poet Li Shen 李紳 (772-846) occupied Guangling, Zheng Can was his subordinate. In 844 Can gave a banquet for Li Shen at which the entertainment was a performance by an ageing dancer. The jester Sunzi Duo 孫子多 (Many Grandsons) thought up a rhyming jingle about...
9th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
There’s a raft of stories of Chinese jesters taking a pot-shot at religion and its preachers, though they were scrupulously even-handed in their scoffing. A jester to the Tang dynasty Emperor Yizong 唐懿宗 (r. 859-73), Li Keji 李可及 (Attainable or Surpassable Li),...
9th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
At a banquet given during the Taihe reign period (827-35) of Emperor Tang Wenzong 唐文宗 (r. 827-40), a jester mocked Confucius in a variety show performance. The emperor was angered by his irreverence, saying that Confucius had been a teacher from ancient times to the...
9th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
An example of Chinese jesters being silenced for offering to present a skit mocking a minister, in this case their punishment being more than a simple cancel-culture denial of performance, as they were beaten and banished. Noteworthy is the fact that they were so...
9th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
Two common features of the jester come together in this anecdote: resilience and quick wittedness. The emperor’s idea of a joke, giving his jester a dunking underwater, is a bit schoolboy-bullyish, but the jester reacts so cheerily and cleverly that he wins...
9th century, Europe, fictive fool, folk fool, Ireland, Irish, primary source, quotes, stories
In `The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel’ (`Togail Bruidne Da Derga’), an Irish saga written no later than the eighth or ninth century, Taulchinne, juggler to Conaire the High King of Ireland (whose dates vary according to sources from c. 110 BCE to c. 14 CE)...
