2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, folk fool, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes
Dongfang Shuo 東方朔 was known as a jester to Emperor Han Wudi 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE), although this tricky character covers a spectrum ranging from historical courtier to Daoist immortal. His biography in the History of the Former Han makes frequent reference to his...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, primary source, quotes
Sima Qian (c. 145-86 BC), the Herodotus of China, testifies as to the potential for a joke or a clever turn of phrase to unravel knotty problems. This is from his biographies of jesters, the first and perhaps foremost source of classical Chinese references to jesters...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, primary source, quotes
When was the last time somebody brought you such a gift? A charming rhapsody, by the Chinese writer Sima Xiangru (ca. 179-117 BC), showing jesters alongside musicians, with whom there was often an overlap, and with dwarfs, again, with whom they could be...
2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, folk fool, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes
This ringing endorsement of the effectiveness of court jesters seems a good way to launch a website celebrating them across time and space. It comes from Sima Qian 司馬遷 (c. 145-86 BC), ‘father’ of Chinese history, who wrote what may be the first ever study...
