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...
13th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
A common technique among Chinese jesters was to put together a skit to get a point across to the Emperor, in this resembling something of the use made in the Elizabethan court of masques and similar performances, as a vehicle to convey a message without directly...
15th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, Ming dynasty, primary source, quotes, stories
Following the practice of Chinese jesters to cook up a simple skit in order to draw the emperor’s attention to what’s really going on, here a group of them used a pun to expose corruption in the civil service exams. During the reign of the Hongzhi 弘治...
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...
12th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty
Another example of jesters using the skit as a vehicle for influencing the emperor’s behaviour or policy. Immortal Revelation Ding (Ding Xianxian丁仙現) was a jester who flourished for several decades. In addition to being solicited for his opinions on music and...
8th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
In this account, the Chinese emperor is put to shame by the jester In Full Streamer (Huang Fanchuo 黃幡綽) who creates a ringing bell onomatopoeia by combining one of the emperor’s names with the word for ‘dissolute’ or ‘sloppy’. In other...
12th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
A frequent feature of Chinese jesterdom was the pre-prepared skit, which could be said to have been precursors, or at least contributors, to the development of drama in China. Jesters would work out a storyline in order to get a point across to the emperor, echoing...
