ALVIN DAHN

The Moore, the Merrier: Moore and Her Poetic Humor

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 08:48:00 +0000

JOURNAL ARTICLE

“Humor Saves Steps”: Laughter and Humanity in Marianne Moore

Rachel Trousdale

Journal of Modern Literature

Vol. 35, No. 3 (Spring 2012), pp. 121-138 (18 pages)

Published by: Indiana University Press

Previous Item

https://doi.org/10.2979/jmodelite.35.3.121

In this essay, Rachel Trousdale argues that "Moore uses humor as a test of friendship" (121) and "[h]umor...is both an end in itself and a means to ever-greater things" (ibid). Trousdale obviously deviates from the negative track of the Superiority Theory and finds us a path that leads to the bonding, uniting, and befriending capacity of humor.

While commenting on "Play and Identiy in 'A Prize Bird' and 'The Wood-Weasel'" and "Humor in the 'Pangolin'" (the two sections that constitute the main body of this essay), Trousdale speaks of Henri Bergson, and relates Moore's use of laughter to Bergson's view on laughter:

While Moore and Bergson both use laughter to identify the boundary between "like me" and "unlike me," Moore reverses the direction of Bergson's judgment. His laughter demarcades alienating difference, while hers indicates an important sameness. (124)

Here we find that Bergson sees laughter as "difference-driven" while Moore sees humor as "similarity-driven." This similiary can be anything in common shared between humans, humans and objects, and humanity and poetry, as later interpreted by Trousdale. Trousdale later continues:

Moore's humor follows Bergson's model here [in "The Pangolin"] to the extent that it demands that we see similarity across difference, but it is profoundly anti-Bergsonian in its reliance on sympathy between observer and observed. [...] Where Bergson claims that humor depends on "indiffernce," Moore, as we shall see, suggests that our capacity to unite disparate objects within a single frame of refernce--whether into art or into the comic--is both what distinguishes humans from animals and what allows us to appreicate our common features. (130)

Trousdale develops this essay by comparing and contrasting Bergson and Moore for a theoretical interpretation of the poetic text. To conclude this essay, Trousdae recapitulates:

Humor's synthesis of different skills and ideas is an expression of the smae impulse which gives rise to poetry. Moore's description of humor as "saving steps" suggests that humor, like poetry, is a highly efficient and condensed means of [end of Page 136] communication and sympathy-creation, enfolding multiple layers of meaning, [...] Humor [...] is characteristic of the entire human species, at once distinguishing us from and linking us to the rest of creation. Our fellow humans, panglins and wasps all share characteristics which require a sense of humor--Moore's anti-Bergsonian humor, which has us laugh with pleasure when we reconginze ourselves in another--to understand. Our aburdity and our strength, Moore suggests, arise from the same source: our multifarious self-contradictions, which humor allows us to recognize and turn into tools. (136-137)

With Moore's poetry as a contrast to Bergson's thoery, Trousdale points to a new direction of humor studies: Humor can be non-Superiority, non-Relief, and non-Incongruity, but instead, similarity-based, commonality-powered, and alliance-driven; humor can be a means of bonding and a show of universal compassion.

Normalcy vs. Violation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 02:36:00 +0000

A Theory of Humor.

Thomas C. Veatch

Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 11(2), 161–215. First Published 1998. https://doi.org/10.1515/humr.1998.11.2.161

It was way back in 1998 when Veatch spoke of violation in terms of humor. Most of us may, under the impression of The Humor Code (2014), associate violation (in humor studies) with Peter McGraw and Joel Warner.

According to Veatch, "humor occurs when a perceiver views a situation simultaneously as being normal and as constituting a violation of the subjective moral order" (212). According to Peter McGraw and Joel Warner's Benign-Violation Theory, when something is violated (going wrong) without doing serious damage (benign; no harm done).

In fact, McGraw makes it clear that he conducts his research on humoristic violation with awareness of Veatch's theory:

"Veatch posited what he called the 'N+V Theory,' the idea that humor occurs when someone perceives a situation is a violation of a 'subjective moral principle' (V) while simultaneously realizing that the situation is normal (N)" (The Humor Code 8).

And, with a touch of modification, the normal (N) in the theory, is revised and replaced with the benign:

"To them [Caleb Warren and Peter McGraw, who co-author "Benign Violations: Making Immoral Behavior Funny," Psychological Science (2010): 1141-1149] the term 'benign,' rather than 'normal,' better encapsulated the many ways a violation could be okay, acceptable, or safe--and gave them a clear-cut tool to determine when and why a violation [...] can be funny" (The Humor Code 10; the following figure also appears on Page 10).

This explains the transition from N+V Theory to the Benign Violation Theory. With this explanation, we are better informed of probably the fourth best known theory of humor after Superiority, Incongruity, and Relief theories.

To conclude, "[a]ccording to the benign violation theory, humor is caused by something potentially wrong, unsettling, or threatening" (The Humor Code 52).

BBC's Semiotic Analysis of Humor

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 06:43:00 +0000

What makes modern Britain laugh? How semiotics helped the BBC bridge the Humor Gap

Chris Arning

International Journal of Market Research, vol. 63, 3: pp. 275-299. , First Published March 15, 2021

In order to find out why BBC is losing its young audience, the company commissioned research centers to conduct semiotic analysis based on 800 data points for production advice. By adopting multifaceted methodology including hashtag taxonomy, this research offers suggestions to BBC and shows us the top 20 popular humor types and a table of humor quadrants with their rhetorical functions.

The top 20 types are (283-285) : human foibles (237 data points, i.e. entries f WhatsApp diaries), eccentric characters (164), inter-textuality (156), silliness/cheesiness (147), funny mannerisms (143), in-our group distinction (134), rubbishness/crapness (124), disparagement/diminishment (104), randomness/absurdity (103), emotional hysteria (102), gender rancour (97), slapstic/physical (95), anthropomorphism (93), transgression (90), schadenfreude/reversal (89), cultural/social mores (85), scorn/mockery (81), exaggeration/hyperbole (80), awkwardness/cringe (80), and word play/puns (80).

The table of the humor quadrants and the top 20 types mapped on the table (292):

Arning, Chris. “What Makes Modern Britain Laugh? How Semiotics Helped the BBC Bridge the Humor Gap.” International Journal of Market Research, vol. 63, no. 3, 2021, pp. 275–299., https://doi.org/10.1177/1470785321991346.

Humor and Business !?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 03:58:00 +0000

Humor usage by sellers and sales performance: The roles of the exploration relationship phase and types of humor

Renaud Lunardo, Laurent Bompar, Camille Saintives

Recherche et Applications en Marketing (English Edition), vol. 33, 2: pp. 5-23. , First Published February 19, 2018.

This paper attempts to answer John S. Wagle's call for research on the connection between humor and business (1985). With a focus on the connection between use of humor and sales performance, this paper through two studies based on 322 interviewees asserts that "the effect of humor usage on trust depends on relationship phases, humor having no positive effect during the exploration phase but a negative effect" (18). In other words, "humor has a positive effect over the whole range of relationship phases [between business partners]" (19) and yet "this effect turns out to be negative during the exploration phase" (ibid).

Based on Jap & Ganesan (2000) and Kusari et al. (2013), the relationship phases in this paper refer to the following four phases: exploration (reducing uncertainty: assessing compatibility, performance, and potential benefits), build up, maturity (sharing information and investment, establishing relational norms), and decline (business-partner relationship beginning to deteriorate, purposes served or dissatisfaction experienced, disengagement).

According to Lunardo, Bompar, and Saintives, use of humor is not a good idea in the first phase--exploration--when business partners like the buyer and the seller are accessing each other's business potentials. In addition, when offensive humor is sensed in this phase, negative effects ensue.

Examples of constructive humor and offensive humor are included in this article as follows (16):

Jap, Sandy D., and Shankar Ganesan. “Control Mechanisms and the Relationship Life Cycle: Implications for Safeguarding Specific Investments and Developing Commitment.” Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 37, no. 2, 2000, pp. 227–245., https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.37.2.227.18735.

Kusari, Sanjukta, et al. “Trusting and Monitoring Business Partners throughout the Relationship Life Cycle.” Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, vol. 20, no. 3, 2013, pp. 119–138., https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712x.2012.757716.

Lunardo, Renaud, et al. “Humor Usage by Sellers and Sales Performance: The Roles of the Exploration Relationship Phase and Types of Humor.” Recherche Et Applications En Marketing (English Edition), vol. 33, no. 2, 2018, pp. 5–23., https://doi.org/10.1177/2051570718757905.

Wagle, John S. “Using Humor in the Industrial Selling Process.” Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 14, no. 4, 1985, pp. 221–226., https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-8501(85)90013-6.

Rod A. Martin & Thomas E. Ford: The Psychology of Humor: An Integrative Approach SECOND EDITION (2018)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 08 May 2021 07:12:00 +0000

(Picture taken from "The Psychology of Humor 2nd Edition An Integrative Approach." Elsevier. (https://www.elsevier.com/books/the-psychology-of-humor/martin/978-0-12-812143-6. May 8, 2021.)

The Psychology of Humor: An Integrated Approach is a joint effort of Rod A. Martin and Thomas E. Ford. This book is composed of the following 11 chapters:

Chapter 1. Introduction to the Psychology of Humor
Chapter 2. Classic Theories of Humor
Chapter 3. Contemporary Theories of Humor
Chapter 4. The Personality Psychology of Humor
Chapter 5. The Cognitive Psychology of Humor
Chapter 6. The Physiological Psychology of Humor and Laughter
Chapter 7. The Developmental Psychology of Humor
Chapter 8. The Social Psychology of Humor
Chapter 9. The Clinical Psychology of Humor: Humor and Mental Health
Chapter 10. The Health Psychology of Humor: Humor and Physical Health
Chapter 11. Applications of Humor in Education and in the Workplace

As the chapter titles reveal, this is not another humoristic publication that seeks to painstakingly offer one more new theory of humor that tries painfully to explain all cases of humor. It is a comprehensive survey of humor theories and studies with a focus on psychology but without negligence of other concerning fields.

Gil Greengross, in his review of the book "Survival of the Funniest," pinpoints the following aspects of the book:

"Martin correctly points out, expecting humor research to be funny is analogous to assuming that writings about human sexuality should be sexually arousing (p.30)" (90-91).
"[H]umor is a product of natural selection and why evolutionary explanations should be considered" (91).
"Both are enjoyable, do not have any obvious or immediately serious function, and are performed in safe environments with familiar people (p.234)" (93).
"[T]he absence of a research methods chapter" (94).

Although some may read this book with little excitement for it is not a tome of theoretical breakthrough, it is more than a general survey of the already-known textbook list of thoughts on humor. In many fields of studies, psychological or otherwise, The Psychology of Humor helps retrieve and revive some of the lost or forgotten researches from the past, as in the Gelastic Laughter section from "Chapter 6: The Physiological Psychology of Humor and Laughter":

Gelastic Laughter
The neurological condition gelastic epilepsy, first documented in 1873 (Holmes & Goldman, 2012), causes patients to experience seizures in the form of uncontrolled bouts of laughter. Motor convulsions, eye movement abnormalities, and autonomic disturbances often accompany laughter during seizures. Furthermore, patients typically lose consciousness and report unawareness of these “laughter attacks” (151).

It is not inappropriate to come to the conclusion that The Psychology of Humor is not meant to be an introductory book for a beginner, but with its thorough survey and archaeological efforts, it is no doubt a worthy work even for an informed humorist.

MLA8

Greengross, Gil. “Book Review: Survival of the Funniest.” Evolutionary Psychology, vol. 6, no. 1, 2008, p. 147470490800600., doi:10.1177/147470490800600111.
Holmes, Christina M., and Mitchell J. Goldman. “Seizures Presenting as Incessant Laughter: A Case of Gelastic Epilepsy.” The Journal of Emergency Medicine, vol. 43, no. 6, 2012, doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2012.02.068.
Martin, Rod. A, and Thomas E. Ford. The Psychology of Humor: An Integrative Approach. 2nd ed., Elsevier, 2018.

Thomas Shadwell (1642-1692): "Towards a More Benevolent Humour"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 09:12:00 +0000

Picture taken from "Thomas Shadwell ." Find a Grave. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15849678/thomas-shadwell. June 28, 2019.)

※ The following is taken intact from Figueroa-Dorrego & Larkin-Galiñanes's book, A Source Book of Literary and Philosophical Writings about Humour and Laughter (Lewiston, Queenston, Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2009. 204-205), without any of my personal critique. This blog post is therefore subject to immediate removal upon notice. ※

p.204:
Notwithstanding, Ben Jonson became a model for later comedy writers in the seventeenth century, particularly in the Restoration period. Most comedies of the 1660s, 70s and 80s have an allegedly didactic, satirical intent which is meant to afford them some moral value.

p. 205: Restoration comedy is largely based on Jonsonian humours and satire, but enlivened by Fletcherian wit to suit a more educated and courtly audience. In the preface to his comedy meaningfully entitled The Humourists (1671), Thomas Shadwell endorses Jonson's views and argues that the proper and useful way of writing comedy is to reprehend the vices and follies of the age. The poet should render them so ugly and detestable that people may hate them both in others and themselves (cf. 1997a: 86). And in his dedication of The Virtusos (1676) to the Duke of Newcastle, Shadwell claims that, in this play, he has endeavoured to combine "humour, wit, and satire, which are the three things [which] are the life of a comedy" (1997b: 1-2). He obviously understands humour in the Jonsonian sense, with an emphasis on affectation and "artificial folly," because he believes that "natural imperfections are not fit subjects for comedy, since they are not to be laugh'd at, but pitied. But the artificial folly of those, who are not coxcombs by nature, but with great art and industry make themselves so, is a proper subject of comedy" (2). This means that, for Shadwell, comedy and laughter are intrinsically interrelated, that natural defects should not be derided, and that only affected foolishness is fit for ridicule. Regulating the butts of humoristic practice is nothing new, but in this case it becomes one of the first steps towards a more "benevolent" humour in the eighteenth century.

Shadwell, Thomas. 1997a. "Preface" to The Humorists (1671). Augustan Critical Writing. Ed David Womersley. Harmondsworth: Penguin. 85-93.
---. 1997b. The Virtuoso. Ed. J. A. Prieto-Pablos, M. J. Mora, M. J. Gómerz-Lara, and R. Portillo. Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla.

Figueroa-Dorrego, Jorge and Cristina Larkin-Galiñanes. A Source Book of Literary and Philosophical Writings about Humour and Laughter: The Seventy-Five Essential Texts from Antiquity to Modern Times. Lewiston, Queenston, Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2009. 198-200. ISBN-13: 978-0-7734-4730-1; ISBN-10: 0-7734-4730-X.

Enlightenment Satire by Werner von Koppenfels

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 08:39:00 +0000

※ The following is taken intact from Werner von Koppenfels' "'Nothing is ridiculous but what is deformed': Laughter as a Test of Truth in Enlightenment Satire" as anthologized in A History of English Laughter, without any of my personal critique. This blog post is therefore subject to immediate removal upon notice. ※

4. The bitter laugh: The mock-heroic mode as a grimace of moral disgust.

Satire as a genre--we have only to think of its founding father Aristophanes--is not afraid of using the filthy and obscene in order to humiliate man's pride, to literally cast dirt on his aspiration to be a rational animal. Now neoclassical taste, though by no means prudish, put a ban on any detailed or drastic representation of man's more animal aspects like the sexual or the excremental functions. Readers of Gulliver's Travels, however, will remember that the disgusting aspects of man's animal nature play a conspicuous part in the satiric narrative, especially in Book IV, which presents a shockingly unflattering picture of mankind.

Pope dedicated his second mock-epic The Dunciad to his friend Swift, and something of Swift's taboo-breaking 'excremental vision' seems to have found its way into the elegant heroic couplets of Pope's masterpiece, which caused a public outcry when it first came out in 1728. In tone and subject matter it could not be more different from the [sic.] Rape of the Lock. Following the lead of Dryden's Mac Flecknoe, Pope outdoes his model, and uses Virgil's Aeneid as a heroic foil to stage the coronation of a king of dunces and the coming into power of a mindless mass culture of dulness in Britain.

MLA7:
Werner, von Koppenfels. "'Nothing Is Ridiculous But What Is Deformed': Laughter as a Test of Truth in Enlightenment Satire" A History of English Laughter: Laughter from "Beowulf" to Bekett and Beyond. Ed. Manfred Pfister. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2002. 57-67. Print. (The entire excerpt is taken from Page 64.)

"On the Nature of Laughter" ("De l'essence du rire"; 1855) by Charles Baudelaire (3/3: The Distinction in Between: Joy/Laughter, the Comic/the Grotesque, the Absolute Comic/the Significant Comic)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 09:21:00 +0000

(Picture taken from "Charles Baudelaire." WIKIPEDEA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Baudelaire. July 24, 2018.)

In Part V of "De l'essence du rire,"* Baudelaire deals with the distinction between joy and laughter. According to Baudelaire, joy is "single," while laughter is "double." Namely, joy is one solid entity all by itself, while laughter is only an expression provoked by a feeling of conflicts, or, a "double" (two-fold) feeling.

The distinction between the comic and the grotesque is also specified here: the comic is an imitation; the grotesque is a creation. The grotesque, therefore, seems to be on a higher artistic level for it is a response toward denial of common sense and it is an expression provoked by superiority of humans to nature, not of one person to another, as it is (the primitive form of sense of superiority) in the case of the comic.

Baudelaire refers to the comic as the ordinary comic, the customary comic, the comic associated with laughter caused by behavior or something commonplace--i. e., "the significative comic" (le comique significatif). The significative comic is an easy-to-analyze comic because it is composed of double or contradictory elements (this does remind us of the incongruity theory).

On the other hand, Baudelaire refers to the grotesque as something closer to innocent life, closer to absolute joy, and closer to nature--i. e., "the absolute comic" (le comique absolue). The absolute comic is not anything of a double or contradictory nature, but a single, solid entity, which is to be understood through intuition alone, instead of finding elements in contradictory categories.

V.**

1. il faut d’abord bien distinguer la joie d’avec le rire. La joie existe par elle-même, mais elle a des manifestations diverses. (it is necessary to draw a distinction between joy and laughter. Joy exists by itself, but it has many different ways to show.)

2. Le rire n’est qu’une expression, un symptôme, un diagnostic. Symptôme de quoi ? Voilà la question. La joie est une. Le rire est l’expression d’un sentiment double, ou contradictoire (Laughter is only an expression, a symptom, a diagnostic. Symptom of what? That is the question. Joy is one single thing; laughter is the expression of a double or contradictory feeling.)

3. je veux parler du rire causé par le grotesque. Les créations fabuleuses, les êtres dont la raison, la légitimation ne peut pas être tirée du code du sens commun, excitent souvent en nous une hilarité folle, excessive, et qui se traduit en des déchirements et des pâmoisons interminables. (I'd like to talk about laughter caused by the grotesque. Fabulous creations, beings whose reason of existence cannot be justified by common sense, often excite in us a crazy, excessive hilarity which manifests itself in endless schisms and swoons.)

4. Le comique est, au point de vue artistique, une imitation ; le grotesque, une création. Le comique est une imitation mêlée d’une certaine faculté créatrice, c’est-à-dire d’une idéalité artistique. Or, l’orgueil humain, qui prend toujours le dessus, et qui est la cause naturelle du rire dans le cas du comique, devient aussi cause naturelle du rire dans le cas du grotesque, qui est une création mêlée d’une certaine faculté imitatrice d’éléments préexistants dans la nature. Je veux dire que dans ce cas-là le rire est l’expression de l’idée de supériorité, non plus de l’homme sur l’homme, mais de l’homme sur la nature. (The comic is, from the artistic point of view, an imitation; the grotesque, a creation. The comic is an imitation combined with a certain creative faculty, namely, with an artistic ideality. Now, human pride, which always prevails, is the natural cause of laughter in the case of the comic [sense of superiority in human nature makes certain things laughable]; it also becomes the natural cause of laughter in the case of the grotesque. The grotesque is a creation combined with a certain imitative faculty that involves elements preexisting in nature. I'd like to say that, in this case, laughter is the expression of an idea of superiority, yet no longer superiority of one person to another, but of humans to nature.)

5. le rire causé par le grotesque a en soi quelque chose de profond, d’axiomatique et de primitif qui se rapproche beaucoup plus de la vie innocente et de la joie absolue que le rire causé par le comique de mœurs. (the laughter caused by the grotesque has in itself something profound, self-evident, and primitive, something much closer to innocent life and absolute joy than the laughter caused by the customary/ordinary comic.)

6. le grotesque domine le comique d’une hauteur proportionnelle. (the grotesque prevails over the comic on a much larger scale.)

7. J’appellerai désormais le grotesque comique absolu, comme antithèse au comique ordinaire, que j’appellerai comique significatif. Le comique significatif est un langage plus clair, plus facile à comprendre pour le vulgaire, et surtout plus facile à analyser, son élément étant visiblement double : l’art et l’idée morale ; mais le comique absolu, se rapprochant beaucoup plus de la nature, se présente sous une espèce une, et qui veut être saisie par intuition. Il n’y a qu’une vérification du grotesque, c’est le rire, et le rire subit.; (I shall refers to the grotesque as the absolute comic, as opposed to the ordinary comic, referred to as the significative comic. The significative comic is a clearer language, easier for the vulgar to understand, and above all easier to analyse, with obviously double elements--of art and of morality. But the absolute comic, much closer to nature, shows itself as one single entity and demands comprehension by intuition. There is only one way to verify the grotesque--it is laughter, the sudden laughter.)

8. Le comique ne peut être absolu que relativement à l’humanité déchue (The absolute comic is possible only when humanity fails./ The comic, only in relation to fallen humanity, can be absolute.)

*MLA7: Baudelaire, Charles Pierre. "De L'essence Du Rire." Charles Baudelaire: Curiosités Esthétiques. Wikisource, N. p, n.d. Web. 14 July 2018. <https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/De_l%E2%80%99essence_du_rire>.

MLA8: Baudelaire, Charles Pierre. “De L'essence Du Rire.” Charles Baudelaire: Curiosités Esthétiques, Wikisource, fr.wikisource.org/wiki/De_l%E2%80%99essence_du_rire.

** The following translations are mine.

"On the Nature of Laughter" ("De l'essence du rire"; 1855) by CharlesBaudelaire (2/3: The Birth of Laughter and Christianity)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 14:25:00 +0000

(photo source: http://citation-celebre.leparisien.fr/citations/38361)

In Part Four of "De l'essence du rire," Baudelaire again maintains that laughter comes from the mind that instills ridiculousness into a certain object and hence nothing is by its very nature laughable unless made a target to be laughed at. Accordingly, on a cultural level, all religious idols can be targets of laughs and ridicules for Christians. Of course, it is not that non-Christian beliefs and gods are laughable; it is the monotheist mindset of Christians that despises non-Christian communities by making fun of their beliefs and gods.

IV.

1. Quant aux figures grotesques que nous a laissées l’antiquité, les masques, les figurines de bronze, les Hercules tout en muscles, les petits Priapes à la langue recourbée en l’air, aux oreilles pointues, tout en cervelet et en phallus, — quant à ces phallus prodigieux sur lesquels les blanches filles de Romulus montent innocemment à cheval, ces monstrueux appareils de la génération armée de sonnettes et d’ailes, je crois que toutes ces choses sont pleines de sérieux. Vénus, Pan, Hercule, n’étaient pas des personnages risibles. On en a ri après la venue de Jésus, Platon et Sénèque aidant. Je crois que l’antiquité était pleine de respect pour les tambours-majors et les faiseurs de tours de force en tout genre, et que tous les fétiches extravagants que je citais ne sont que des signes d’adoration, ou tout au plus des symboles de force, et nullement des émanations de l’esprit intentionnellement comiques. Les idoles indiennes et chinoises ignorent qu’elles sont ridicules ; c’est en nous, chrétiens, qu’est le comique.* (As for the grotesque figures handed down to us from antiquity: the masks, the bronze figurines, the all-muscular Hercules, the little figures of Priapus (whose tongue thrusts in the air, whose ears are pointed, and whose glans and penis stand out of proportion), the prodigious penes the fair daughters of Romulus (the founder and the first emperor of Rome) innocently ride upon (which are monstrous reproductive organs bedecked with bells and equipped and wings)--I believe that all these abound in profound seriousness. Venus, Pan, Hercules had never been laughable personages; they were laughed at only after the advent of Jesus, with the help of Plato and Seneca. I believe that ancient people were full of respect for drum majors and performers of all kinds of feats of strength. And, all the aforementioned extravagant artifacts were statues for worship, or, in addition, symbols of strength, but not intended for some comic relief the mind. The Indian and Chinese goods do not know they are ridiculous; it is in us Christians that their ridiculousness exists.)**

*MLA7: Baudelaire, Charles Pierre. "De L'essence Du Rire." Charles Baudelaire: Curiosités Esthétiques. Wikisource, N. p, n.d. Web. 14 July 2018. <https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/De_l%E2%80%99essence_du_rire>.

MLA8: Baudelaire, Charles Pierre. “De L'essence Du Rire.” Charles Baudelaire: Curiosités Esthétiques, Wikisource, fr.wikisource.org/wiki/De_l%E2%80%99essence_du_rire.

** The translation is mine.

"On the Nature of Laughter" ("De l'essence du rire"; 1855) by Charles Baudelaire (1/3: Laughter Is Evil by Nature)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 08:35:00 +0000

(Picture taken from "BAUDELAIRE : DE L’ESSENCE DU RIRE (annoté): Curiosités Esthétiques (French Edition) Kindle Edition." amazon. (https://www.amazon.com/BAUDELAIRE-LESSENCE-annot%C3%A9-Curiosit%C3%A9s-Esth%C3%A9tiques-ebook/dp/B019DEBKLG. February 13, 2018.)

In his "De l'essence du rire,"* Baudelaire seems to make sense of three things: 1. laughter is evil by nature; 2. the birth of laughter and Christianity; 3. a distinction should be drawn between joy and laughter, the comic and the grotesque, the absolute comic ("le comique absolu") and the significative comic ("le comique significatif").**

II

1. Aux yeux de Celui qui sait tout et qui peut tout, le comique n’est pas (In the eyes of the Almighty, the comic does not exist).

2. le comique disparaît au point de vue de la science et de la puissance absolues (From the viewpoint of the absolute power and the absolute knowledge, the comic disappears).

3. le rire est généralement l’apanage des fous, et qu’il implique toujours plus ou moins d’ignorance et de faiblesse (Laughter is in general a privilege of the crazy, and it implies more or less ignorance or weakness).

4. Il est certain, si l’on veut se mettre au point de vue de l’esprit orthodoxe, que le rire humain est intimement lié à l’accident d’une chute ancienne, d’une dégradation physique et morale. Le rire et la douleur s’expriment par les organes où résident le commandement et la science du bien ou du mal : les yeux et la bouche (It is certain that, when one speaks from a stance of orthodoxy, human laughter is closely linked to the accident of the Ancient Fall, a degradation both physical and moral. Laughter and pain are expressed by organs in which commands and knowledge of Good and Evil reside: the eyes and the mouth).

5. le comique est un élément damnable et d’origine diabolique (the comic is a damnable element and it is of a diabolic origin).

III

1. Le rire vient de l’idée de sa propre supériorité. Idée satanique s’il en fut jamais (Laughter comes from the idea of one's own sense of superiority. A satanic idea if there was any) !

2. le rire est une des expressions les plus fréquentes et les plus nombreuses de la folie (laughter is the most frequent and numerous expression of madness).

3. si l’on veut creuser cette situation, on trouvera au fond de la pensée du rieur un certain orgueil inconscient (if one is willing to go deep into this situation, one will find in the depths of the thought of laughter a certain unconscious pride).

1. Le rire est satanique, il est donc profondément humain. Il est dans l’homme la conséquence de l’idée de sa propre supériorité ; et, en effet, comme le rire est essentiellement humain, il est essentiellement contradictoire, c’est-à-dire qu’il est à la fois signe d’une grandeur infinie et d’une misère infinie, misère infinie relativement à l’Être absolu dont il possède la conception, grandeur infinie relativement aux animaux. C’est du choc perpétuel de ces deux infinis que se dégage le rire. Le comique, la puissance du rire est dans le rieur et nullement dans l’objet du rire. Ce n’est point l’homme qui tombe qui rit de sa propre chute, à moins qu’il ne soit un philosophe, un homme qui ait acquis, par habitude, la force de se dédoubler rapidement et d’assister comme spectateur désintéressé aux phénomènes de son moi. Mais le cas est rare (Laughter is satanic. It is then profoundly human. It is the consequence in the person with an idea of a sense of superiority about himself. And, indeed, as laughter is essentially human, it is essentially contradictory. This is to say that it is at once a sign of infinite greatness and a sign of infinite misery, with the infinite misery in regard to the absolute Being and the infinite greatness in regard to animals. It is from this perpetual crash of these two infinities that laughter emerges. The comic, the power of laughter, is in the person who laughs and in no way in the object he laughs at. The one who falls never laughs at his own fall unless he is a philosopher, a man who has habitually acquired the strength to remain detached from phenomena concerning his ego and to reamain as a disinterested looker-on. But this is a rare case).

2. le rire est signe d’infériorité relativement aux sages (laughter, in regard to sages, is a sign of inferiority).

*MLA7: Baudelaire, Charles Pierre. "De L'essence Du Rire." Charles Baudelaire: Curiosités Esthétiques. Wikisource, N. p, n.d. Web. 14 July 2018. <https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/De_l%E2%80%99essence_du_rire>.

MLA8: Baudelaire, Charles Pierre. “De L'essence Du Rire.” Charles Baudelaire: Curiosités Esthétiques, Wikisource, fr.wikisource.org/wiki/De_l%E2%80%99essence_du_rire.

** The following translations are mine.

Sir Philip Sidney on Delight and Laughter (1595)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 07:07:00 +0000

Picture taken from "Philip Sidney." Wikipedia. (portal); captured and cropped (direct source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Sir_Philip_Sidney_from_NPG.jpg. January 29, 2018.).

Like Plato, Sidney has a negative take on laughter, which in his understanding comes from sneering at others' deformity, misery, or inferiority in any form (see Plato on Comedy & Laughter (I) ). While drawing the distinction between delight and laughter, Sidney again reminds us of one of his predecessors, Demetrius, the author of De Elocutione, which distinguishes "the humorous" (to provoke laughter) and "the charming" (to give pleasure), with the former being typical of buffoons and the latter being proper of wits (see De Elocutione: Grace & Charm of Humor).

According to Sidney, laughter comes from derision, not delight. Laughter is an expression of scorn; delight is an experience of joy. When we laugh at others, we laugh at their misery; when we laugh at ourselves, we try to deal with our own. Laughter, in other words, pains people. This viewpoint may be somewhat extreme and such a distinction may be least convincing, but we are given the opportunity to peep into some of the earliest efforts that lay down the foundation for humor studies. Here are two paragraphs taken from "The Defence of Poesie" or "An Apology of Poetry" (1595):

But our comedians [may well refer to comedy playwrights] think there is no delight without laughter; which is very wrong, for though laughter may come with delight, yet cometh it not of [from] delight, as though delight should be the cause of laughter; but well may one thing breed both together: nay, rather in themselves they have, as it were, a kind of contrariety; for delight we scarcely do, but in things that have a conveniency to ourselves, or to the general nature; laughter almost ever cometh of [from] things most disproportioned to ourselves and nature. Delight hath a joy in it, either permanent or present. Laughter hath only a scornful tickling. For example, we are ravished with delight to see a fair woman, and yet are far from being moved to laughter. We laugh at deformed creatures, wherein certainly we cannot delight. We delight in good chances, we laugh at mischances; we delight to hear the happiness of our friends or country, at which he were worthy to be laughed at that would laugh; we shall contrarily laugh sometimes to find a matter quite mistaken and go down the hill against the bias,* in the mouth of some such men, as for the respect of them one shall be heartily sorry, yet he cannot choose but laugh; and so is rather pained than delighted with laughter. Yet deny I not but that they may go well together; for as in Alexander's picture** well set out, we delight without laughter, and in twenty mad antics we laugh without delight, so in Hercules, painted with his great beard and furious countenance, in a woman's attire, spinning at Omphale's *** commandment, it breedeth both delight and laughter. For the representing of so strange a power in love procureth delight, and the scornfulness of the action stirreth laughter.

But I speak to this purpose, that all the end of the comical part be not upon such scornful matters as stirreth laughter only, but, mixed with it, that delightful teaching which is the end of poesy. And the great fault even in that point of laughter, and forbidden plainly by Aristotle, is that they stir laughter in sinful things, which are rather execrable than ridiculous: or in miserable, which are rather to be pitied than scorned (Sidney 358).

* Contrary to its expected course. The balls used in lawn bowling have a bias, a peculiarity in weight or shape that causes them to swerve (Sidney 358n9).

** Plutarch, in his Life of Alexander 4, discusses Apelles' (4th c. B.C.E.) famous painting of Alexander [Robinson's note] (Sidney 358n1).

*** Queen of Lydia, whom the legendary hero served fro 3 years as a slave in order to be purified of a murder; during that time he fell in love with her (Sidney 358n2).

-- Sidney, Philip. "An Apology for Poetry." The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Eds. Vincent B. Leitch, et al. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2001. Print. 326-362. Print.

Nicholas Udall: Ralph Roister Doister (c. 1553)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 06:56:00 +0000

Picture taken from "Famous Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual People Born in the 1500s." Ranker: Vote on Everything. (https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-gay-lesbian-and-bisexual-people-born-in-the-1500_s/famous-gay-and-lesbian. January 27, 2018.)

※ The following is taken intact from Figueroa-Dorrego & Larkin-Galiñanes's book, A Source Book of Literary and Philosophical Writings about Humour and Laughter (Lewiston, Queenston, Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2009. 200), without any of my personal critique. This blog post is therefore subject to immediate removal upon notice. ※

Moving now to England, comedy as a dramatic genre starts with Nicholas Udall's Ralph Roister Doister (c. 1553), under the influence of Roman comedy, and with a prologue that states the author's intention to provide "mirth with modestie" and avoid any kind of abuse and scurrility:

Knowing nothing more commendable for a man's recreation

Than Mirth which is used in an honest fashion:

For Mirth prolongeth lyfe, and causeth health.

Mirth recreates our spirites and voydeth pensivenesse,

Mirth increaseth amities, not hindering our wealth,

[...] ("Prologue," ll. 6-10. Udall 1984: 101)*

This is certainly a hymn to mirth, understood as good-natured, convivial merriment expressed by laughter, following the most favourable views of humour from classical times to the Renaissance. Instead of linking humour with scorn, Udall associates it with health and friendship, and presents it as having an important role in human recreation, and as a good remedy against depression. The play is actually full of roistering and farcical actions performed by stock characters borrowed from Plautus and Terence, whose plays were well known by any educated person at the time, since they were part of their instruction. Burlesque, misunderstanding, and the clash of opposing parties that finally get reconciled are basic elements of this play that will later be developed by Shakespeare, for instance, in most of his romantic comedies.

* Udall, Nicholas. "Roister Doister." Four Tudor Comedies. Ed. William Tydeman. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1984. 99-205. Print.

-- Figueroa-Dorrego, Jorge and Cristina Larkin-Galiñanes. A Source Book of Literary and Philosophical Writings about Humour and Laughter: The Seventy-Five Essential Texts from Antiquity to Modern Times. Lewiston, Queenston, Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2009. 198-200. ISBN-13: 978-0-7734-4730-1; ISBN-10: 0-7734-4730-X.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Thirteen

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 00:40:00 +0000

Paragraph 16: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (4/4)

(portrait taken from: http://blog.udn.com/janice720703/20957982."東方朔救乳母的故事." 菡萏香清季雲的 blog. September 2, 2017.)

Upon dying of age, Dongfang offered his admonition to Emperor Wu: "It says in Shijing (詩經), the Book of Odes, 'Buzzing flies rest upon the fence, but rumors rest not on the sage ruler. Rumors never end; they spread chaos and invite wars among neighboring states.' I hope that Your Majesty avoid flattering rumormongers as to keep off rumors." The Emperor wondered and said, "I can see you are speaking so gravely today!" Within a few days, Dongfang died. As the proverb goes, "Upon dying, birds crow grievously; upon dying, people speak gravely." This is the case with Dongfang.

*至老，朔且死時，諫曰：「《詩》云『營營青蠅，止于蕃(fan2)。愷悌(kai3di4)君子，無信讒言。讒言罔極，交亂四國』。願陛下遠(yuan4)巧佞，退讒言。」帝曰：「今顧東方朔多善言？」怪之。居無幾何，朔果病死。傳(zhuan4)曰：「鳥之將死，其鳴也哀；人之將死，其言也善。」此之謂也。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4961. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4961, 4965, 4967-4968).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Twelve

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Sep 2017 08:36:00 +0000

Paragraph 15: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (3/4)

(portrait taken from: http://www.zgdfs.org/newscont.asp?id=240."智圣东方朔形象的古今演变." 中國東方朔文化研究會. September 2, 2017.)

A creature, bearing resemblance to an elk, showed itself at the wooden rails around the back door of the west-winged palace, the Jian Zhang Palace. This was reported to Emperor Wu and he went to see it for himself. The Emperor inquired court scholars and well-read officials for the proper name of this creature, but no one knew. The Emperor then sent for Dongfang Shuo, who saw and said, "I know what it is, but not until I feast on good wine and a fine meal shall I give its name." The Emperor granted Dongfang his wine and meal. Upon finishing them, Dongfang made another demand, "I learn that hectares of royal farmlands are available, with fields, fish ponds, and stretching reeds. When Your Majesty grant the lands to me, I shall give its name." Again the Emperor granted Dongfang's demand, and Dongfang gave its name. "Zou-Ya it is called," said Dongfang, "it is a harbinger that shows itself when a faraway state is to make its tribute. Its teeth are neat, front or back, all the same, hence Zou-Ya, or neat-toothed." One year passed, and Hoon-Ye, a chieftain of the Huns, led hundreds of thousands to surrender to Emperor Wu as a vassal state. The Emperor then further rewarded Dongfang with even more valuables.

*建章宮後閤重(chong2)櫟中有物出焉，其狀似麋。以聞，武帝往臨視之。問左右群臣習事通經術者，莫能知。詔東方朔視之。朔曰：「臣知之，願賜美酒粱飯大飱臣，臣乃言。」詔曰：「可。」已又曰：「某所有公田魚池蒲葦數頃，陛下以賜臣，臣朔乃言。」詔曰：「可。」於是朔乃肯言，曰：「所謂騶(zou1)牙者也。遠方當來歸義，而騶牙先見。其齒前后若一，齊等無牙，故謂之騶牙。」其後一歲所，匈奴混(hun2)邪(ye2)王果將(jiang4)十萬眾來降漢。乃復賜東方生錢財甚多。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4960. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4960, 4965, 4967).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Eleven

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 16:29:00 +0000

Paragraph 14: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (2/4)

(portrait taken from: http://www.chiculture.net/1107/html/c34/pic25399.html."东方朔." 中國文化研究院 (香港). " July 27, 2017.)

There came a time when the scholars-in-residence gathered in the palace and confronted Dongfang with the question: "When Su Qin (蘇秦) and Zhang Yi (張儀) served their masters, they were soon promoted chancellors of their states and their achievements lasted to benefit their descendants. Now, you sir, who acquire the political art of the ancient rulers and follow the principles of the late saints. The classics you read and the thinkers you quote are countless. Your works are inscribed on bamboo splints or silk; you deem yourself unequaled. You seem nothing short of erudition and eloquence. However, you have been serving the Emperor with all-out efforts, day in, day out, up to decades, and yet you've never served a position higher than Lang, never done anything other than trifling formality. We wonder if we are missing something here? Why has it come to this?" Dongfang replied, "This is of course beyond your understanding. That was then; this is now. How could two different cases come to one same result? When Zhang and Su served, the Zhou Dynasty was nearing its end, and its court, an empty shell. The dukes no longer reported to the emperor; instead, they strengthened their military forces to vie for power and to butcher each other. In the end, 12 dukedoms survived, but none prevailed. In their case then, whoever sought a good strategist won the game; whoever failed to find one lost the game. Therefore, strategies, when offered and proved effective, promised strategists ranks and honor that lasted for generations and benefited their descendants. In my case now, a sage sovereign is in reign and his sagacity prevails. The dukes obey and the neighboring nations respect. Within and without, all territories are bound in one expanse (as a seating mat), secure and stable (as a bowl placed upside down). All are equally cared for and collectively faithful. All are so closely united as one family that a total mobilization for any given purpose is as easy and sure as handling something already in hand. There is no way to tell a good strategist from a bad one. In our far-flung empire, among the multitude of people, countless talents are swarming in painstakingly in all directions to recommend themselves to the court. There are people, studious and righteous, fail to seek positions and struggle on meager means. If Zhang and Su were to be born into our times, they would never even make it to a low-rank position as a Zhang-Gu. Would they ever dare to dream of serving as a Lang, the royal consultant-in-ordinary? As recorded in one of the Classics (specifically Huai Nan Zi 淮南子), 'When the world is free of ills, saints can be of no avail; when the world is in harmony, sages can be of no merit.' Hence, in different times, talents are rewarded differently. Even so, can one stop making efforts to improve oneself? As recorded in Shi Jing (詩經), 'When the bells are sounded within the palace, the sounds are heard without.' 'When the cranes are shrilling in the swamps, the shrills are piercing through the skies.' When self-improving efforts are made, glory surely ensues (All three are causes and corollaries.). Jiang Taigong (姜太公) had been walking the ways of the ancient saints for 72 years before he met King Wen of Zhou. Afterwards were his strategies received and practiced and Qi to him was endowed as a fief of a dukedom which stood for seven hundred years. Likewise, scholars of our times are making efforts, day and night, for academic and moral improvements, without hesitation nor resignation. Hermits like me, though of no avail for the present, dare to stand aloft and alone. We look up to saints like Xu Yo and Jie Yu; we learn from sages like Fan Li and Zi Xu. In times of peace, we live up to the teachings of saints and sages throughout our lives. There are few who understand us; there are few who follow us. And this is the way it is. So why do you cast doubts on me?" At this, all scholars were silenced.

*時會聚宮下博士諸先生與論議，共難(nan4; to question)之曰：「蘇秦、張儀一當(dang1)萬乘(sheng4)之主，而都(du1)卿相之位，澤及後世。今子大(da4)夫修先王之術，慕聖人之義，諷誦詩書百家之言，不可勝數。著(zhu4)於竹帛，自以為海內無雙，即可謂博聞辯智矣。然悉力盡忠以事聖帝，曠日持久，積數十年，官不過侍郎，位不過執戟，意者尚有遺行邪(ye2)？其故何也？」東方生曰：「是固非子所能備也。彼一時也，此一時也，豈可同哉！夫張儀、蘇秦之時，周室大壞，諸侯不朝，力政爭權，相禽以兵，并為十二國，未有雌(ci1)雄，得士者彊(qiang2)，失士者亡，故說(shuo1)聽(ting4)行通，身處尊位，澤及後世，子孫長榮。今非然也。聖帝在上，德流天下，諸侯賓服，威振四夷，連四海之外以為席，安於覆盂，天下平均，合為一家，動發舉事，猶如運之掌中。賢與不肖，何以異哉？方今以天下之大，士民之眾，竭精馳說(shui4)，并進輻湊者，不可勝(sheng1)數(shu3)。悉力慕義，困於衣食，或失門戶。使張儀、蘇秦與僕並生於今之世，曾(zeng1)不能得掌故，安敢望常侍侍郎乎！傳(zhuan4)曰：『天下無害菑(zai1)，雖有聖人，無所施其才；上下和同，雖有賢者，無所立功。』故曰時異則事異。雖然，安可以不務修身乎？《詩》曰：『鼓鐘于宮，聲聞于外。』『鶴鳴九皋(gao1)，聲聞于天。』。茍能修身，何患不榮！太公躬行仁義七十二年，逢文王，得行(xing2)其說(shuo1)，封於齊，七百(bo2)歲而不絕。此士之所以日夜孜孜，修學行道，不敢止也。今世之處(chu3)士，時雖不用，崛然獨立，塊然獨處，上觀許由，下察接輿，策同范蠡，忠合子胥，天下和平，與義相扶，寡偶少(shao3)徒，固其常也。子何疑於余哉！」於是諸先生默然無以應也。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4958-4959. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4959-4960, 4962-4964, 4966-4967).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Ten

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 07:42:00 +0000

Paragraph 13: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (1/4)

(portrait taken from: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/东方朔."东方朔. 维基百科: " July 23, 2017.)

In the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, there came a scholar from the Qi (齊) Dukedom. His surname was Dongfang (東方); his given name, Shuo (朔). He was an avid reader of antique works, a devoted savant of classics, and a polymath of all schools of philosophy. In high repute was his erudition. When Dongfang first set foot in the Capital, Chang-An (長安), he paid his visit to the Imperial Post (公車 gong1 jü1) to submit his memorial of political advice. The memorial ran for 3,000 scrolls (奏牘 zou4 du2, scrolls made of wooden splints strung together). The Postmaster had two couriers deliver his memorial; they could barely manage the weight. Emperor Wu started reading Dongfang's memorial in the Palace, and the Emperor marked where he stopped so that he could get back to it. The reading went on for two months. Upon finishing the memorial, the Emperor conferred on Dongfang an office of Lang (郎 lang2), a royal consultant-in-ordinary. Dongfang had often been called upon for his advice, and all meetings delighted the Emperor. Once, he was rewarded with a royal feast to dine with the Emperor. At the end of the feast, he packed home the rest of the meat in his clothes, which were smeared and stained accordingly. Several times, he was rewarded with reels of fine silks, which he never hesitated to carry home, despite the burden of weight. All the time, he spent his rewarded wealth to wive the most attractive women in the Capital. Every year, he divorced one and married another. All his gain of wealth has lost to his whims about women. Among the courtiers, he earned his reputation as the "Madman." When his reputation reached the Emperor, the Emperor said, "If Dongfang had served the court without such a flaw, who among you deserved to work as his peers?" Dongfang recommended his own son for a Lang position. His son assumed the position, went on to serve as a royal messenger, and was often assigned to emissary missions. One day in the palace, a colleague told him, "People call you the Madman." Dongfang replied, "People like me are hermits at the court, unlike the ancient hermits who sought hermitage in the mountains." Still one time at a banquet, drunk under the table, he started singing:

Floating with the flow,

I am a hermit at the Gold Horse Gate.

The Palace is my shelter.

Why in the mountains seek another?

Why a shanty alone should a hermit harbor?

The Gold Horse Gate referred to buildings of high offices. Statues of brass horses were positioned at the gates, hence the synecdoche.

*武帝時，齊人有東方生名朔，以好(hao4)古傳(zhuan4)書，愛經術，多所博觀外家之語。朔初入長安，至公車(jü1)上書，凡用三千奏牘。公車令兩人共持舉其書，僅然能勝(shen1)之。人主從上方讀之，止，輒乙其處，讀之二月乃盡。詔拜以為郎，常在側侍中。數召至前談語，人主未嘗不說(yue4)也。時詔賜之食於前。飯已，盡懷其餘肉持去，衣盡汙。數賜縑(jian1)帛，檐揭(dan4 ye1)而去。徒用所賜錢帛，取少婦於長安中好(hao3)女。率(shuo4)取婦一歲所者即棄去，更(geng1)取婦。所賜錢財盡索之於女子。人主左右諸郎半呼之「狂人」。人主聞之，曰：「令朔在事無為是行(xing2)者，若等安能及之哉！」朔任其子為郎，又為(wei2)侍謁(shi4 ye4)者，常持節出使。朔行殿中，郎謂之曰：「人皆以先生為狂。」朔曰：「如朔等，所謂避世於朝廷間者也。古之人，乃避世於深山中。」時坐席中，酒酣，據地歌曰：「陸沈於俗，避世金馬門。宮殿中可以避世全身，何必深山之中，蒿(hao1)廬之下！」金馬門者，宦者署門也，門傍有銅馬，故謂之曰「金馬門」。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4958-4959. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4958-4959, 4961-4962, 4965-4966).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Nine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Feb 2017 10:16:00 +0000

Paragraph 12: Guo Sheren (郭舍人)

When Emperor Wu of Han reigned, he favored a court entertainer Guo Sheren, whose words deviated from those of saints and sages but often delighted his master. Emperor Wu, in his infancy, was placed in the nursery care of Marquess Dongwu (the mother of Marquis Dongwu); in his adulthood, Emperor Wu rewarded her with the title of the Imperial Fosterer (or Darumu, lit. the Grand Nursing Mother). Now, this wet nurse of Emperor Wu's usually visited him twice a month. At her visit in the morning, Emperor Wu would have his well-trusted official Ma You-qing give her fifty reels of silk and serve her food and drink. One day, the nurse met with Emperor Wu and said, "I am aware of some royal farmland available; I'd like to loan it." Emperor Wu replied, "Would my nurse like to own it?" And so she had it. Every request of the nurse's was met by the Emperor's goodwill. And the edict had it that the nurse was entitled to traveling the Imperial Highway in her carriage. At that time, all the court honored her. Some time later, the servants and attendants of the nurse's household began to act like villains and their villainy plagued the capital Chang-An. They stopped people, horses, and carriages in broad daylight and robbed people of their personal belongings. Word spread and reached the Emperor, who could not bear to hold his nurse's household punishable by law. Officials in charge suggested the nurse's household be relocated onto the borders as a punishment of exile. The Emperor authorized the punishment. On the day of exile, the nurse was to ask the Emperor for her leave before departure. Before that, she went to Guo Sheren in tears. Guo said to her, "When you see the Emperor, you ask for your leave adn you leave quickly. But stop and look back between your hurried steps." The nurse followed Guo's instruction and did accordingly at court. Guo then, in the presence of the Emperor, responded abruptly to her act by saying, "Tush! Hag! Hurry away! His Majesty is now fully grown. Would he ever need you around to suckle him? Don't bother looking back!" At Guo's words, the Emperor felt sad and sorry for his nurse. The Emperor gave his order to annul the exile and whoever spoke ill of it was to be punished.

*武帝時有所幸倡郭舍人(she4ren2; an honorific similar to Mister or Master)者，發言陳辭雖不合大道，然令人主和說(yue4; pleased)。武帝少時，東武侯母常養帝，帝壯時，號之曰「大乳母」。率(shuo4; generally)一月再朝。朝奏入，有詔使幸臣馬游卿以帛五十匹賜乳母，又奉飲(yin3)糒(bei4; cooked rice)飱(sun1; prepared food)養(yang4; to feed)乳母。乳母上書曰：「某所有公田，願得假倩(jia3qian4; to borrow)之。」帝曰：「乳母欲得之乎？」以賜乳母。乳母所言，未嘗不聽。有詔得令乳母乘車(jü1)行馳道中。當此之時，公卿大臣皆敬重乳母。乳母家子孫奴從者(nü2zong4zhe3; servants and attendants)橫(heng4)暴長安中，當道掣頓(che4dun4; to rob or to detain)人車馬，奪人衣服。聞於中(zhong1; the court)，不忍致之法。有司請徙乳母家室，處之於邊。奏可。乳母當入至前，面見辭。乳母先見郭舍人，為(wei2)下泣。舍人曰：「即入見辭去，疾步數(shuo4)還(huan2)顧。」乳母如其言，謝去，疾步數還顧。郭舍人疾言罵之曰：「咄(duo4; Zut!; Blast!)！老女子！何不疾行！陛下已壯矣，寧尚須汝乳而活邪(ye2)？尚何還顧！」於是人主憐焉悲之，乃下詔止無徙乳母，罰謫譖(zen4; to malign)之者。

**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4955-4956. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4955-4958頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4955-4958), with the exception of the ending line where the San-Min translation reads: "The Emperor punished instead the officials who suggested exile for his nurse." My understanding of the last line in the original somehow differs in a way that allows a more reasonable possibility to me as a reader and a translator.
***All translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Eight

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 08:30:00 +0000

Paragraph 11: Supplements by Chu Shao-Sun (褚少孫)

(portrait taken from: http://baike.so.com/doc/349838-370580.html. 360百科: "褚少孙." February 11, 2017.)

Thus speaks Master Chu, "I am honored with a scholarly position for my studies; I too am keen on reading outside my studies. I'd like to emulate the Grand Historian by adding six accounts of guji (滑稽, an equivalent for humor in Chinese) events as supplements in the following paragraphs. "

*褚(chu3)先生曰：臣幸得以經術為郎，而好(hao4)讀外家傳(zhuan4)語。竊不遜讓，復作故事滑(gu3)稽之語六(lu4)章，編之於左。可以覽觀揚意，以示後世好(hao4)事者讀之，以游心駭耳，以附益上方太史公之三章。

**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4955. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4955頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4956).

***All translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Seven

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 02:41:00 +0000

Paragraphs 7-10: Yo Zhan (優旃)

Yo Zhan, a dwarf and a court entertainer in the Qin Dynasty, excelled in jokes and jests. And yet his joking and jesting often serves righteous causes. Once, when Qin Shi-Huang was in reign, a royal banquet was decreed by Qin and followed by rain. All the royal guards were posted where rain could reach and cold could affect. Yo Zhan saw this and pitied them, and so he asked the guards, "Do you fancy a rest?" All guards answered, "That would be great." Yo Zhan then said, "I shall later call on you and you shall respond with "Yes!" accordingly." Later on, all hailed Qin at court. At that time, Yo Zhan suddenly turned to the guards, leaning on the rails from high, shouting, "Guards in arms!" The guards responded with "Yes!" Yo Zhan then started jesting them, "Your tallness blesses you with a position in the rain; my shortness blesses me with a position under the roof!" Hearing this, Qin ordered the guards to work on shifts and in half their number so as to replace each other and to rest.

Another time, Qin suggested an extension for his royal hunting park. When the extension completed, the part will border on the Hangu Pass (函谷關) in the east and border on the Yong City (雍) and the Chen Cang County (陳倉) in the west. Yo Zhan replied, "What a great idea! Make sure we keep enough beasts in the park so that we can easily defend any invasion from the east by sending the elks to gore the enemies alone." At this, Qin dropped the idea.

When Qin Er-Shi (the Second Emperor of Qin, Qin Shi-Huang's son) ascended the throne, he would like to have the Great Wall painted. Yo Zhan resonded, "What a great idea! Even if Your Majesty did not suggest it, I would take the liberty. Although painting the Wall shall tax the people heavily for its coast, but it is good. It is good in that the paint shall render the Wall so stately that it keeps the enemies from climbing it. Even if they dare to try, they shall be tainted with paint, because it is hard to find a space big enough to dry such a coating of paint." Qin Er-Shi then laughed and dropped the idea. Soon, Qin Er-Shi was killed and the Qin Dynasty ended. Yo Zhan surrendered to the succeeding Han Court. Years afterwards, Yo Zhan died.

The Grand Historian Sima Qian says, "Chunyu Kun laughs and Weiwang thrives; Yo Meng sings and the firewood gatherer is granted fief; Yo Zhan jests and the guards rest. Is this not great?"

*優旃 (zhan1)者，秦倡(chang1)侏儒也。善為笑言，然合於大道。秦始皇時，置酒而天雨，陛楯(shun3)者皆沾寒。優旃見而哀之，謂之曰：「汝欲休乎？」陛楯者皆曰：「幸甚。」優旃曰：「我即呼汝，汝疾應曰諾。」居有頃，殿上上壽呼萬歲。優旃臨檻大呼曰：「陛楯郎！」郎曰：「諾。」優旃曰：「汝雖長(chang2)，何益，幸雨立。我雖短也，幸休居。」於是始皇使陛楯者得半相代。

始皇嘗議欲大苑囿，東至函谷關，西至雍、陳倉。優旃曰：「善。多縱禽獸於其中，寇從東方來，令麋鹿觸之足矣。」始皇以故輟止。

二世立，又欲漆其城。優旃曰：「善。主上雖無言，臣固將請之。漆城雖於百姓愁費，然佳哉！漆城蕩蕩，寇來不能上。即欲就之，易為漆耳，顧難為蔭室。」於是二世笑之，以其故止。居無何，二世殺死，優旃歸漢，數年而卒。

太史公曰：淳于髡仰天大笑，齊威王橫行。優孟搖頭而歌，負薪者以封。優旃臨檻疾呼，陛楯得以半更(geng1)。豈不亦偉哉！

**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4952, 4954. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4952, 4954頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4953, 4955).
***All translation is mine.

Humor and the Good Life in Modern Philosophy: A Long-Awaited Book by Dr. Lydia Amir

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 04:58:00 +0000

Amir, Lydia B. Humor and the Good Life in Modern Philosophy: Shaftesbury, Hamann, Kierkegaard. NY.: SUNY, 2014.
link: http://www.sunypress.edu/p-5779-humor-and-the-good-life-in-mode.aspx

It's been such a long time since I first allowed myself to be a slacker blogger and to deviate from humor study onto other academic interests and commitments. Yet the good news of Dr. Amir's book coming out this year gives me a powerful motivation to make a new blog post.

According to Dr. Amir, this book came out in Albany, NY, with the State University of New York Press (SUNY Press) on January 1 (Saturday), 2014. I haven't yet had the honor to read the work, but I suggest interested academics and enthusiasts of humor study be aware of its various forms of publication available to all potential readers. Please click on the above link for related info.

I'm pleased to find myself writing up here again, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to congratulate Dr. Amir on her success of this work.

Dead Funny: Humor in Hitler's Germany by Rudolph Herzog

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:49:00 +0000

(The picture is first posted by PAUL CONSTANT on MON, MAY 30, 2011 at 10:07 AM, under the article title "A Study of Humor in Nazi Germany" on SLOG, The Stranger; re-posted from: SLOG: NEWS & ARTS; the book cover you see on Amazon's website is different.)

Today, I came across an interesting book on humor in Hitler's Germany. The subtitle of the book alone amazes me. I believe most people wouldn't have believed in such a research topic before they saw the book. To match the surprise offered by its subtitle, the humor of the main title is very, very dry.

A few quick links are posted here for those of you who are interested and also for my own reference in the future.

Amazon's link:
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Funny-Telling-Hitlers-Germany/dp/1612191304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346945930&sr=8-1&keywords=dead+funny

Paul Constant's link:
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/paul-constant/Author?oid=17693

※ The content of this post and the reference to its sources have never been made known to or approved by Mr. Paul Constant or http://www.thestranger.com/, the agent of the book author, Mr. Rudolph Herzog, or http://www.amazon.com/. This blog post is therefore subject to immediate removal upon notice. ※

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Six

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:25:00 +0000

Paragraph 6: Yo Meng (優孟) (2/2)

Sun Shu-ao (Sun pronounced "soon"; family name: 蒍 wei3, name: 敖 ao2, courtesy name: 叔敖 shu3ao2; born in his family fief near Mt. Sun, hence better known as Sun Shu-ao, i.e., Shu-ao of Sun) knew that Yo Meng was a man of integrity and hence treated Yo Meng well. It was when Sun Shu-ao served the Chu Dukedom as its Lord Chancellor. At his death bed, Sun told his son, "After I die, you shall suffer poverty. Go to Yo Meng when in need and tell him you are the son of Sun Shu-ao." Several years came to pass, the son suffered poverty and sustained his life by gathering firewood. He then met with Yo Meng and told him, "I am the son of Sun Shu-ao and was told by my father to come to you when in need." Yo Meng told him, "Stay near the palace and wait for my message." Soon Yo Meng learned to dress himself the way Sun did, to act the way Sun did, and to talk the way Sun did. Over one full year, Yo Meng became such a mirror image of Sun Shu-ao that even Duke Chu and his subjects at court couldn't tell the difference: It was at the celebration of Zhuangwang's birthday when the feast was set and Yo Meng approached Zhuangwang to greet him. Zhuangwang, taken by surprise, thought that Sun Shu-ao came back to life. Thus impressed, Zhuangwang then implored him to serve at court as his Lord Chancellor. Yo Meng responded to Zhuangwang's request, "I beg you to allow me three days' time so I can break it to my wife before I can serve you." Zhuangwang allowed, and Yo Meng returned to the palace in three days. Zhuangwang asked, "What did your wife say?" Yo Meng answered, "'Never,' she said, 'the office of the Lord Chancellor of Chu is an unworthy position.' and she mentioned Sun Shu-ao to justify her point. 'Sun Shu-ao made every effort to manage the Dukedom of Chu faithfully as well as to maintain his integrity and stay off bribery. While his efforts contribute to the prominence of the Duke of Chu, his son is left to dire poverty after his death, left to gather firewood for meager subsistence. If you serve Chu as its Lord Chancellor, what happened to Shun Shu-ao happens to you. You might as well kill yourself now.'" Yo Meng then started to sing:

"Live in the mountains by farming--hard work for scarce food.

Rise to the court as a royal subject--extra gain at the cost of honor.

Build a rich household on bribery--from risk of life to the whole family punishable.

A major crime that defies law brings death to the person and end to his family.

How can one who serves at court serve greedily?

While serving at court, serve honestly!

Abide by law, carry out duties, and stay away from offence acts.

While serving at court, serve honestly!

Sun Shu-ao, the Lord Chancellor, died with honor and honesty;

Sun Shu-ao's wife and son live by gathering wood and in poverty.

How unworthy it is to serve honestly!"

At this, Zhuangwang showed his gratitude to Yo Meng and called forth the son of Sun Shu-ao. The son was granted Qin-qiu, a fief of 400 households, to support and honor his family. The grant lasted for ten generations of the Sun family. What Yo Meng did demonstrates what timely advice can do.

Two centuries and more came to pass. There in Qin was Yo Zhan.

*楚相孫叔敖知其賢人也，善待之。病且死，屬(zhu3)其子曰：「我死，汝必貧困。若往見優孟，言我孫叔敖之子也。」居數年，其子窮困負薪，逢優孟，與言曰：「我，孫叔敖子也。父且死時，屬我貧困往見優孟。」優孟曰：「若無遠有所之。」即為孫叔敖衣冠，抵掌談語。歲餘，像孫叔敖，楚王及左右不能別也。莊王置酒，優孟前為壽。莊王大驚，以為孫叔敖復生也，欲以為相。優孟曰：「請歸與婦計之，三日而為相。」莊王許之。三日後，優孟復來。王曰：「婦言謂何？」孟曰：「婦言慎無為，楚相不足為也。如孫叔敖之為楚相，盡忠為廉以治楚，楚王得以霸。今死，其子無立錐之地，貧困負薪以自飲(yin4)食(si4)。必如孫叔敖，不如自殺。」因歌曰：「山居耕田苦，難以得食。起而為吏，身貪鄙者餘財，不顧恥辱。身死家室富，又恐受賕(qiu2)枉法，為姦觸大罪，身死而家滅。貪吏安可為也！念為廉吏，奉法守職，竟死不敢為非。廉吏安可為也！楚相孫叔敖持廉至死，方今妻子窮困負薪而食，不足為也！」於是莊王謝優孟，乃召孫叔敖子，封之寢丘四百戶，以奉其祀。後十世不絕。此知(zhi4)可以言時矣。

其後二百餘年，秦有優旃(zhan1)。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4947-4948. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4947-4948頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4949-4950).
***All translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Five

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 06:38:00 +0000

Paragraph 5: Yo Meng (優孟) (1/2)

Yo Meng (literally, Meng the Performer, or Master Meng, but less honorific in Chinese) was a court musician who served the Chu Dukedom. Tall, both in height (8 Zhou feet, i.e., 184cm) and in talk, he often offered his advice in joking and jesting (my emphasis: this is often quoted for Sima Qian's definition of guji, or, humor). It was when Chu Zhuangwang reigned. Zhuangwang kept a pet horse and pampered it. The horse was clothed in embroidered silk, housed in magnificent lodging, lulled upon bedding, and fed with delicacy. The horse, sick of obesity, died. Zhuangwang, who made all his subjects mourn for its death, planned to bury it in a manner exclusively due a worthy courtier. All the Duke's men argued otherwise. Zhuangwang in response gave his command, "Whoever attempts to confront me with my decision shall be punished by death." The word reached Yo Meng. He went right into the court and there he wept and wailed hard and loud. Taken by surprise, Zhuangwang inquired the reason of him. Yo Meng answered, "The horse was your favorite, my Lord, and you, as the absolute ruler of such a stately dukedom, hold in hand countless riches and resources. You, however, grudge your beloved horse its due by planning for it a funeral due a mere courtier. I beg of you to grant it a decent funeral due a duke." Zhuangwang said, "How shall I proceed?" Yo Meng replied, "I suggest that my Lord have engraved jade for its bier, fine wood for its coffin and for the coffin padding. Command your strong army to dig its sepulcher; mobilize the weak civilians to carry the building materials. Have the ambassadors of Qi and Zhao on either side, of Han in front and of Wei at the back. In addition, my Lord shall bestow upon it a posthumous award of a rich fief of ten thousand households and shall order the construction of its shrine with offerings all the time ready. Then all dukes shall know how the people are dispensable to you and the horse was not." Zhuangwang then, coming to his senses, said, "How could I ever do such wrong? How can I mend?" "I suggest that my Lord grant it a proper burial due all poultry and livestock--the cooking crater for its coffin, the brass wok for its bier, dressed with spices, scented with herbs. In this manner shall it be shrouded in fire and buried in men's abdomens," Yo Meng answered. Zhuangwang then hurried the carcass to the royal kitchen, lest word of his wrong spread and stay.

*優孟，故楚之樂人也。長八尺，多辯，常以談笑諷諫。楚莊王之時，有所愛馬，衣(yi4)以文繡，置之華屋之下，席以露(lu4)床，啗以棗脯。馬病肥死，使群臣喪(sang1)之，欲以棺槨大夫禮葬之。左右爭之，以為不可。王下令曰：「有敢以馬諫者，罪至死。」優孟聞之，入殿門。仰天大哭。王驚而問其故。優孟曰：「馬者王之所愛也，以楚國堂堂之大，何求不得，而以大夫禮葬之，薄，請以人君禮葬之。」王曰：「何如？」對曰：「臣請以彫玉為棺，文梓為槨，楩(pian2)楓豫章為題湊，發甲卒為穿壙(kuang4)，老弱負土，齊﹑趙陪位於前，韓﹑魏翼衛其後，廟食太牢，奉以萬戶之邑。諸侯聞之，皆知大王賤人而貴馬也。」王曰：「寡人之過一至此乎！為之柰(nai4)何？」優孟曰：「請為大王六畜葬之。以壟竈為槨，銅歷為棺，齎(ji1)以薑棗，薦以木蘭，祭以糧稻，衣(yi4)以火光，葬之於人腹腸。」於是王乃使以馬屬太官，無令天下久聞也。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4946-4947. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4946-49467頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4948-4949).
***All translation is mine.

Peter McGraw: "To Explain Every Joke Ever"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:11:00 +0000

(Peter McGraw; photo by Andrew Hetherington; reposted from: https://www.wired.com/2011/04/ff-humorcode/)

Recently, I have come across an article on Dr. Peter McGraw and his team's ambition--to find and prove true a universal theory that explains why things are funny and aren't (“One Professor’s Attempt to Explain Every Joke Ever.” qtd. https://www.wired.com/2011/04/ff-humorcode/). Their efforts and research result in their manifesto in print:

McGraw, Peter & Caleb Warren. “Benign Violations: Making Immoral Behavior Funny.” Psychological Science vol. August, 2010.

The gist is that, as taken intact from the journal, "Laughter and amusement result from violations that are simultaneously seen as benign." BVT (the Benign Violation Theory) hence defines funniness as witnessing of an act of or a hint on violation at a secured distance--a threat, but not posed to you, or not posed close enough to you.

While I haven't yet have the time to chew on every sentence of the paper nor sleep on every thought it includes, I decided to have some of his links posted here for future reference.

Dr. Peter McGraw's links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_McGraw
https://www.colorado.edu/business/peter-mcgraw
https://petermcgraw.org/
https://www.wired.com/2011/04/ff-humorcode/

※ The content of this post and the reference to its sources have never been made known to or approved by Dr. Peter McGraw or http://www.wired.com/magazine/. This blog post is therefore subject to immediate removal upon notice. ※

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Four

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:33:00 +0000

Paragraph 4: Chunyu Kun (淳于髡) (3/3)

Weiwang was pleased with the withdrawal of the Chu army. He ordered feasts to be arranged and he honored Chunyu Kun with a drink. Weiwang asked, "How much does it take to inebriate my counselor?" Chunyu answered, "I can be drunk on a little, but I can also be drunk on a lot." Weiwang said, "Counselor, if you are drunk on a little, how can you finish a lot? Can you tell me how?" Chunyu said, "When you, my Lord, honor me with a drink at court, with law enforcers on either side, with judicial officials standing behind, I bow low and drink in fear. It takes only a little (a dou) to make me drunk." He continued, "When my parents receive honorable guests at home, I roll up my sleeves and bend over to fill their cups. I stand by at their service and am given a drink from time to time. I hold my cup high and drink to their health in reverence as high. It takes only a few rounds to make me drunk (on two dous)." Chunyu went on to give a third situation, "While socializing with long-lost friends, whom I chanced upon, I rejoice in our conversation of shared old days and in our exchange of life experiences kept to ourselves." "It then takes some more to make me drunk (five or six dous)." "When an informal feast is held in the neighborhood," Chunyu said about the fourth situation, "men and women don't sit apart; people enjoy each other's company and drink for long." "Gambling is allowed; bonding comes natural." "Flirting (holding hands) is inculpable; ogling is acceptable. Earrings are dropped; hairpins, left behind. This caters to my guilty pleasure (This is my péché mignon) and it takes much more to make me drunk (Eight dous equal to slight tipsiness). And further, when the dusk falls and the feast is nearly done, those who linger gather what is left and sit close--men and women share same seats (my emphasis: It is feasible that this means women are sitting in the lap of men, so that everything is piled up or joined "in a pleasant mess": people, shoes, tableware...all things that refer to carnal pleasures); men's shoes are placed upon women's; tableware is piled upon tableware. When the candles burn out from the banquet ball, the host sees off other guests but ask me to stay. This is the time when blouses are loosened and the scent is perceived. This is the moment I favor most. This is the time when I can finish a lot (a dan)." "It is said that drinking without restraint leads to vice; feasting without restraint leads to tragedy. All things under no restraint go in like manner. This is to say that extremities should be avoided, for extremities lead to downfalls." In explaining his toleration for alcohol, Chunyu insinuated a piece of advice into Weiwang's mind. Weiwang replied, "Well said," and restrained from late-night feasting. Chunyu was soon made the supervisor of revelry. When royal banquets were held, Chunyu was always present.

A century and more came to pass. There in Chu was Yo Meng.

*威王大說(yue4)，置酒後宮，召髡賜之酒。問曰：「先生能飲幾何而醉？」對曰：「臣飲一斗亦醉，一石亦醉。」威王曰：「先生飲一斗而醉，惡能飲一石哉！其說可得聞乎？」髡曰：「賜酒大王之前，執法在傍，御史在後，髡恐懼俯伏而飲，不過一斗徑醉矣。若親有嚴客，髡帣韝（juan4gou1）鞠？（古字，月+丞+也）(ju2ji4)，侍酒於前，時賜餘瀝，奉觴上壽，數起，飲不過二斗徑醉矣。若朋友交遊，久不相見，卒(cu4)然相睹，歡然道故，私情相語，飲可五六斗徑醉矣。若乃州閭(lü2)之會，男女雜坐，行酒稽留，六博投壺，相引為曹，握手無罰，目眙(chi4)不禁(jin4)，前有墮珥(er3)，後有遺簪，髡竊樂此，飲可八斗而醉二參(san1)。日暮酒闌，合尊促坐，男女同席，履舄(xi4)交錯，杯盤狼藉，堂上燭滅，主人留髡而送客，羅襦(ru2)襟解，微聞薌(xiang1)澤，當此之時，髡心最歡，能飲一石。故曰酒極則亂，樂極則悲；萬事盡然，言不可極，極之而衰。」以諷諫焉。齊王曰：「善。」乃罷長夜之飲，以髡為諸侯主客。宗室置酒，髡嘗在側。

其後百餘年，楚有優孟。

**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4941-4942. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941-4942頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4944-4945).

***All translation is mine.