10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
Like many of his counterparts elsewhere, Jing Xinmo 鏡新磨 (Newly Polished Mirror) was skilled in versifying. When an allegedly six-eyed turtle was sent to the court of Tang Zhuangzong 唐莊宗 (r. 923-26) as tribute, Xinmo made up a little rhyme about it – joking that...
10th century, bibliography, canon, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
Ouyang Xiu’s 歐陽脩 (1007-72) ‘Lingguan zhuan’ 伶官傳 (Biographies of Jesters) in the New History of the Five Dynasties is a key primary source for Chinese accounts of jesters at the court of Tang Zhuangzong 後唐莊宗 (r. 923-26), with particular emphasis on...
10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
An early example of reductio ad absurdum approach to changing the ruler’s mind. Rather than having a head-on confrontation with unreasonable behaviour, the jester instead agrees wholeheartedly, taking the whole thing to such a logical but extreme degree that...
10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
Generally speaking, jesters enjoyed a widely recognised licence which included the latitude to be irreverent. However, they were dealing with very powerful individuals and sometimes their barbs or mockery would hit home too hard and they would find themselves...
10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
A rare example of a jester facing execution and all the more exceptional for having the ruler about to strike the fatal blow himself. Equally astonishing is the quick-wittedness to come up with a pun which made the emperor laugh and so commute the death sentence....
10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
Jesters, like other entertainers or courtiers, could enjoy the generosity of the ruler, and there are many such examples in anecdotes or, in the European case, in court account records. In China, a few specifically mention rolls of silk being doled out, but this...
Europe, France, French, medieval, primary source, quotes
The mirror is a recurring theme in the history of folly, particularly in Europe, where there are many images of a fool holding up a mirror, whether to himself or to you, the bystander. This device can still be seen in some European carnivals.In China too, it is worth...
10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
Some of the most startling examples of a jester’s being impudent to the point of lèse-majesté can be found in anecdotes concerning Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang (r. 923-26) and Jing Xinmo 鏡新磨 (Newly Polished Mirror). This brassy jester constantly pushed...
