Expanded Treasury of Laughter
Tags
Summary
Traditional Chinese culture has a long and profound intellectual tradition, marked by a high degree of originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early forms of thought have their own distinctive features: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography—all are vast and deep in content. This "Essence of the Chinese Classics: Original Cultural Texts" series preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by the ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.
Editor's review
Guang Xiaofu (Expanded Treasury of Laughter) is a collection of jokes compiled by Feng Menglong and a representative work of humorous writing in Ming dynasty popular literature. Through short anecdotes and witty dialogue it records the many facets of social life, satirizing officialdom, the imperial examinations, human relations, and everyday urban life, in plain language with lasting meaning. This edition preserves the original book's appearance and focuses on presenting traditional joke literature in its native form; it serves as an accessible introduction to Ming dynasty popular culture, folk humor, and literati wit. Reading it offers light entertainment while also revealing the social psychology and values of the time through its humor. For readers studying the genre of ancient Chinese jokes, folk language, or the history of fiction, the book can serve as supplementary material. For general readers, it is a relaxed book to dip into at any time without reading from beginning to end. It should be noted that some content reflects the limitations of its era and should be viewed with historical perspective.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers who enjoy ancient jokes and folk humor, suitable for casual reading
- Students of Ming-Qing literature or folk culture, usable as supplementary material
- Writing enthusiasts in need of short pieces, who may draw inspiration from it
- Readers interested in Ming dynasty social life and language style
Not a good fit for
- Classical literature researchers expecting systematic academic annotation and in-depth textual study
- Readers who prefer complete long-form narratives or modern fiction
- Readers sensitive to some of the coarse content in ancient jokes
Reading tips
- It is not necessary to read straight through; dip into a few items each day and keep a relaxed attitude
- When encountering unfamiliar allusions or colloquial expressions, consult Ming dynasty social context briefly
- Keep notes and compare satirical techniques with contemporary humorous expression
- After reading, try retelling or rewriting a few pieces to appreciate the structural features of jokes
Contents
- 版权信息
- 广笑府
- 敲桌敬酒
- 口脚之争
- 畜生道号
- 只顾说嘴
- 换班对站
- 六只脚跑
- 妙处难学
- 直走横行
- 雇秋蝉好
- 尸体卖钱
- 怕汪公公
- 井中短鱼
- 不识书礼
- 咏诗相嘲
- 不识平仄
- 四季懒学
- 豆腐先生
- 嘲近视诗
- 好胡坏胡
- 地狱治罪
- 别人通气
- 开了药铺
- 庸医葬童
- 僧的月经
- 途记良方
- 聋耳医生
- 请来远神
- 山神顶锅
- 鲁参之墓
- 咏物箴警
- 人字收尾
- 酒瓶加帽
- 判牛断鹅
- 误行酒令
- 这狗吃糠
- 性怕馒头
- 双斧劈柴
- 去种韭菜
- 咏薄粥诗
- 老母猪肉
- 嘲尼姑诗
- 吃三碗水
- 先说大话
- 自夸癖性
- 尽忠尽孝
- 天王地王
- 新妇请安
- 误抢小姨
- 还要招弟
- 取笑而已
- 无事生烦
- 只识牛马
- 上天去坐
- 宝家三井
- 捶碎夜壶
- 定不出来
- 一人不逃
- 兄弟认匾
- 不如求己
- 小鱼待客
- 须寻活计
- 争夸技艺
- 见我怕否
- “鲊”字下饭
- 新娘坐轿
- 该吊我了
- 倒看借条
- 难熬三年
- 送别趣诗
- 藕大如船
- 一钱莫救
- 假充秀才
- 蠢儿卖药
- 包做道场
- 难做东道
- 画俯首人
- 腹中空虚
- 冬日摇扇
FAQ
Do I need a foundation in classical Chinese to read this book?
The language of Guang Xiaofu is relatively plain, and most pieces are short; basic classical Chinese reading ability is enough to understand them. Unfamiliar characters or allusions can be resolved with common reference works, so there is no need to give up reading for fear of the classical Chinese threshold.
Is the content suitable for young readers?
Some jokes involve the imperial examinations, officialdom, and everyday urban life, with period attitudes and colloquial expressions. Young readers should have appropriate adult guidance, or choose relatively simple pieces, and should not accept everything uncritically.
Does this edition preserve the original book's appearance?
According to the information provided, this series focuses on conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture and preserves the original books' appearance. Readers may treat it as an edition for understanding the original form of ancient jokes; for specific annotation and editorial details, please refer to the physical book.
Related on WeRead
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Feng Menglong
Author · Chinese · 1574–1646
Feng Menglong (1574–1646), courtesy name Youlong and style name Mohan Zhai Zhuren, was a native of Changzhou in Suzhou Prefecture (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). A Ming dynasty writer and dramatist, he devoted his life to collecting and editing popular literature. He compiled Yushi Mingyan, Jingshi Tongyan, and Xingshi Hengyan, known collectively as the "Three Words," which became representative anthologies of vernacular short stories. He also compiled Qingshi and Gujin Tangui, revised Xin Lieguo Zhi and Pingyao Zhuan, and served as magistrate of Shouning County in Fujian. His works draw on urban life and folk legends, employ lively vernacular language, and focus on human nature and social manners, exerting a lasting influence on later vernacular fiction and drama. The library holds 200 of his works, spanning classical literature and social fiction.
