Records of Opening Smiles
侯白Jul 2024
Rating 3.9- Word count
- 20K words
- Chapters
- 72
Tags
Classic Works Sui-Tang AnecdotesStreet LifeFolk WisdomLight ReadingHumor ReliefJoke CollectionSatirical StyleHumorous MockerySummary
Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history, marked by a high degree of originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early intellectual forms are highly distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers—all are profound and extensive. This series, "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. Through reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.Editor's review
Qiyan Lu (Record of Opening Smiles) is a joke collection compiled by Hou Bai of the Sui dynasty and an important work of ancient Chinese humorous literature. It gathers witty sayings and folk jokes from the Wei, Jin, and Sui periods, covering literati banter, official satire, everyday anecdotes, and religious mockery. Its language is concise and its satire sharp; it is both entertainment and a primary source for understanding medieval social attitudes, colloquial expression, and humorous traditions. This edition, part of the "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series, preserves the appearance of the original book and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture. Its value lies not only in amusement but in letting readers see ancient people's wisdom in dealing with the world and their ways of criticism through jokes. The short pieces can be read at any time and suit fragmented reading. Readers need not read it through; they can read two or three entries a day, noting wordplay and the identities of the characters, then compare them with modern jokes to appreciate how humor has changed.Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers interested in ancient Chinese humorous literature and the joke tradition
- Young and middle-aged readers who want to read classical Chinese casually in fragmented time
- Literature and history enthusiasts studying social customs and colloquial expression from the Wei to Sui dynasties
- Student readers who hope to appreciate satire and humor through classical Chinese reading
Not a good fit for
- Researchers expecting systematic scholarly annotation and in-depth textual criticism
- Readers who prefer long continuous plots and complete story structures
- Beginners who find classical Chinese difficult and are unwilling to use reference books
Reading tips
- Read only a few entries at a time and jot down interesting puns and satirical points; there is no need to read it through.
- Read the original text first, then the explanation; look up unfamiliar official titles and forms of address promptly to build background knowledge.
- Read it alongside note-style works such as Shishuo Xinyu to sense the humorous styles of different eras.
- After reading, try rewriting one joke as a modern vernacular anecdote to test whether you have truly understood it.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 启颜录
- 卷上
- 论难
- 辩捷
- 昏忘
- 嘲诮
- 卷下
- 优旃
- 简雍
- 晏婴
- 边韶
- 张裔
- 张裕
- 薛综
- 诸葛恪
- 费
- 王戎妻
- 杨修
- 孙子荆
- 蔡洪
- 陆机
- 诸葛恢
- 韩博
- 王绚
- 孙绍
- 魏市人
- 王元景
- 石动筒
- 侯白
- 刘焯
- 山东人
- 吃人
- 李
- 李荣
- 令狐德
- 崔行功
- 边仁表
- 长孙玄同
- 松寿
- 封抱一
- 邓玄挺
- 窦晓
- 杜延业
- 路励行
- 千字文语乞社
- 山东佐史
- 程季明
- 诸葛恪
- 繁钦
- 刘道真
- 祖士言
- 卢思道
- 李
- 赵神德
- 欧阳询
- 刘行敏
- 窦
- 甘洽
- 契纟戾秃
- 安陵佐史
- 封抱一
- 山东人
- 患目鼻人
- 伛人
- 田媪
- 高敖曹
- 姓房人
- 殷安
- 煮箦为笋
- 羊踏破菜园
- 命群臣为大言
FAQ
What kind of book is Qiyan Lu?
It is a joke collection compiled by Hou Bai of the Sui dynasty. It gathers witty sayings and folk jokes from the Wei, Jin, and Sui periods, covering literati banter, official satire, and everyday anecdotes. Its language is concise, and it is one of the representative works of ancient Chinese humorous literature, suitable for casual reading.Can I read this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?
The jokes are short and the language is relatively simple, but classical Chinese remains an obstacle. It is advisable to use an annotated edition or reference books, start with short entries, and gradually become familiar with forms of address and official titles. Do not force yourself to read from beginning to end at once, lest you lose interest.Is this book suitable for reading straight through?
Not really. The entries are relatively independent and lack a continuous plot, so reading straight through can be tiring. It is better to browse according to interest, read two or three entries a day, or select entries by theme, making reading a relaxed daily pastime.How does reading a joke collection help in understanding traditional culture?
Jokes often reflect social attitudes, official life, and everyday human relations. Through the banter and satire of the characters, readers can see ancient people's ways of dealing with the world, their verbal skills, and the limits of criticism. It is an interesting entry point for understanding medieval social customs and colloquial expression.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
侯白 AuthorHou Bai is an author from ancient China about whom very little is publicly known: his birthplace, dates of birth and death, and career are all undocumented, making a full life story difficult to reconstruct. What can be confirmed is that two works are attributed to him, Qiyan lu (Records of Laughter) and Jingyi ji (Records of the Strange), both commonly listed among classic works. Qiyan lu is known for its humor and wit, gathering jokes and anecdotes in a lively, colloquial style that reflects strong folk flavor; Jingyi ji leans toward recording strange tales and has the character of zhiguai notebook literature. One humorous, one marvel-filled, the two books differ in subject but both show the author's attention to human manners and unusual reports. Since much of the original texts is lost and what survives consists largely of reconstructed editions, details of his life remain especially obscure. Overall, Hou Bai's name has come down mainly through these two works; his easy, quick-witted style gives him a place in the literature of jokes and strange tales, offering valuable texts for later readers interested in ancient humor and anecdote.