2nd century, 3rd century, China, East Asia, fooleum, Han dynasty, painting, primary source
If you follow the Fooleum, you will have gathered that there is a relative paucity of images of Chinese jesters and related entertainers, at least when compared to the pictoral plethora in Europe. So I was delighted to discover this Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
The irrepressibly bumptious Dongfang Shuo told the emperor what he thought of scholars, in terms of brazen self-praise. Emperor Han Wudi 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE) gave him a long list of some of the most renowned literary names in Chinese history and asked him how he...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
The jester Guo Sheren 郭舍人is often paired with Dongfang Shuo, coming off worst in riddle-battles. Here, Sima Qian 司馬遷 tells us that this favourite jester of Emperor Han Wudi 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE), although not deeply philosophical, nevertheless brought pleasure and...
2nd century BCE, bibliography, canon, China, Chinese, East Asia, folk fool, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
One of many sources concerning the clever and outspoken Dongfang Shuo 東方朔 (c. 160 – c. 93 BCE), part courtier, part jester and, according to some more outlandish claims, a Daoist immortal. Known among ordinary people for his dazzling wit and intricate riddles,...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
Dongfang Shuo 東方朔 (c. 160 – c. 93 BCE), sometime jester to emperor Han Wudi 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE), appears to have been one of those who developed a reputation among ordinary people for their wit, with their wisecracks becoming common currency.Ban Gu’s 班固...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
The jester Guo Sheren 郭舍人 enjoyed great favour with Emperor Han Wudi 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE), due to what Burton Watson called his ‘never-ending fund of waggery’, and he was always at the Emperor’s side. He seems to have regularly engaged in riddles...
2nd century BCE, bibliography, book, canon, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, Qin dynasty
There are a hundred ways to kick off a canon*, and one on fools and jesters could trigger as much argument about what should be included as any other body of essential works on a given topic. One advantage of slow-mo online accretion is that it is never final and so...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
At the court of the Emperor Han Wudi 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE), two jesters would regularly fire off riddles at each other in front of the emperor. On one occasion, Guo Sheren (郭舍人) offered to submit himself to a beating if he didn’t manage to out-wit Dongfang Shuo...
