If we want to talk about China's ancient humor, we can't avoid one identity, that is "relieving anxiety". There is a funny biography in Sima Qian's Historical Records, which specifically records the humorous stories of outstanding people.
At first, "You" was an artist raised by the ancient kings, mainly performing music, dancing, acrobatics and telling jokes (comedies and burlesque). Those who perform music and dance are called "advocating Excellence" and those who tell jokes are called "training Excellence".
Xi You amused the king by telling jokes, so his behavior was often funny and exaggerated. Sometimes, for the effect of the program, I will say something out of line, and even say something ironic and taboo.
For example, there is a story called "Zhao Xiangzi Drinking", which tells the story of Mo You's satirical exhortation, and it comes from Liu Xiang's "A New Preface to Six Stings" in the Han Dynasty.
Original text:
Zhao Xiangzi drank wine for five days and nights and said to the waiter, "I am sincere! My husband has been drinking for five days and nights, but he is not ill. "
Youmo said: "You encourage me! How about two days, seven days and seven nights? Now you have five days. "
Xiangzi was afraid. "But what if I die?"
Youmo said, "Never die."
Xiangzi said, "I haven't heard it for two days. What if I don't die?"
You Mo said, "Jie, Zhou died and met. Today is the best day. You are the best. How can you die in the same world? However, it is also embarrassing. "
It is said that Zhao Xiangzi drank for five days and nights in a row, and then he said with a bang, I'm a fucking talent. I've been drinking for five days and nights and I'm not tired at all. Then I play music and dance.
Listen to this. That doesn't sound like what a king should say. This IQ and connections can't even get into an electronics factory. Generally, ministers are cursing silly X in their hearts at this time, but on the surface, they will definitely advise the king not to drink too much wine, which will hurt his health and serve the country and the people.
You Mo said easily, Your Majesty, I appreciate your heartless and positive attitude towards life. But you are not good enough. Zhou Wang has been drinking for seven days and seven nights, while you only have five days and five nights. You still need two days and two nights. Come on, I like you.
Zhao Xiangzi's smile gradually solidified, thinking that I was ridiculously faster than Zhou Wang, he asked: Will I die?
At this time, when the people saw the king's introspection, they comforted the king to turn over a new leaf and remain a good comrade, and then the monarch and his subjects cried bitterly.
You Mo said you wouldn't die, but you did, because there were better Shang Tang and Zhou Wuwang to replace them. Now it's your fault all the time. Everyone is rotten sweet potatoes and rotten eggs. How can you have the mind and strength to destroy each other, but it is a bit dangerous.
You Mo used the "exaggeration and absurdity method" I said before, and the attitude of exhortation was more relaxed and casual, humorous and interesting. And it will give the persuaded people a refreshing and impressive feeling.
Of course, this Zhao Xiangzi is also a very powerful person. He was the founding hero of Zhao in the Warring States Period, and gained a share in the promotion of the three major families. According to the truth, such a person is not a fatuous person, so Mo You satirized him. He didn't hack Mo You to death because of embarrassment.
Let's talk about the story of "rain is afraid of taxation", which comes from Lu You's Book of Southern Tang Dynasty (Volume 17, Biography of Festival and Acrobatics) in the Song Dynasty.
Original text:
When the customs is harsh and urgent, it is a drought in Beijing. One day, I gave a banquet in Beiyuan. Meng Zugu said: It rains in the suburbs, but it doesn't rain in Beijing. Why? It was not because of the injustice in prison that he gradually stepped forward and said, what are you surprised about? This is because the rain is afraid of taxation, so it is afraid to go to Beijing. My ancestors laughed. Tomorrow, I will write to relax taxes.
The general situation is that at that time, for the sake of armament, the state imposed heavy taxes and miscellaneous taxes, even the geese that laid double yellow eggs were taxed, which made life difficult for businessmen.
Once, the emperor (Tang Liezu Li Bian) and his ministers were drinking together. By the way, they asked everyone: It is said that there is plenty of rain dozens of miles away in the suburbs of Beijing. Why doesn't it rain in Beijing? Is this a distortion of human nature or a moral decay?
Shen, an outstanding person, said, "Maybe it's because the rain is afraid of taxation, so I dare not go down in the city."
The emperor smiled as soon as he heard it, and the next day he issued a letter to stop all additional taxes.
Let's talk about a similar story called "He has his own characteristics", which was written by Jian Yong in order to persuade Liu Bei, and it comes from "The Biography of the Three Kingdoms Shu Shu Jian Yong".
Original text:
When the weather is dry and alcohol is forbidden, the brewer will be punished. The official asked others to provide brewing tools, and the narrator wanted to make the same punishment as the brewer. Yonghe visited the temple and saw a man and a woman walking in the street. He called the late master, "Why doesn't he tie himself up if he wants to commit adultery?" The late Lord said, "How do you know?" Yong said to him,' He has his own characteristics, just like those who want to make wine.' The first master smiled, and the original one needed to be brewed. "
It is said that one year there was a severe drought, and the official clothes ordered water conservation and prohibited wine making. More than that, if anyone is found to have brewing tools at home, it will be dealt with as a crime of brewing.
One day, when Jian Yong and Liu Bei were playing, they saw a couple of men and women walking together and said to Liu Bei, "Why don't you arrest these two men for something shameful?" .
Liu Bei was forced to ask how you knew. Jian Yong said that they have tools to commit crimes, just like people who have tools to make wine but don't make wine. Liu Bei laughed when he heard the dirty joke and pardoned those people.
Of course, Jian Yong is not condescending, just saying that they all protested in the same way.
I think the effective way of persuasion is mainly due to the following reasons.
Particularity of occupation
Now we watch American talk show actors and often satirize the president, thinking that they have freedom of speech. In fact, Xi did this in China during the Spring and Autumn Period.
There is an ancient tradition in China's excellent culture, which is called "excellent words without mail", which means that with the identity of "excellent people", it doesn't matter what you say (Mandarin Today: You Shi: "I am excellent, but my words without mail").
Besides, Xi, your job is to tell jokes. Joke this thing, it is not funny unless it is out of line. People who have read the three principles of humor I mentioned before: surprise, superiority and catharsis will understand.
If the king didn't let you talk so much, it wouldn't be so funny, so he wouldn't raise them for nothing.
Joking advice
Xi You often packages suggestions into humorous ways, and describes a thing in exaggerated, absurd and absurd ways to make people laugh, so that people can see at a glance that it is obviously unreasonable and achieve the purpose of exhortation.
This kind of half-truth, half-falsehood, relaxed and interesting joke is more acceptable. If a minister is serious and positive to the king, it is easy for the king to quarrel if he loses face, and it is even worse to kill a loyal minister in a rage.
This is the art of communication and where we learn how to give advice to others. I will update many similar stories in the future.
Particularity of social atmosphere
The social atmosphere at that time was like this. The king is used to being satirized by actors. After being satirized, the king didn't get angry, didn't punish anyone, and smiled and accepted the suggestion and corrected it. It can appear that the king is magnanimous and polite, and it is easy to recruit talents by correcting mistakes.
Especially in the Song Dynasty, he was the most tolerant and brave. He really dares to say anything, often satirizing politics and making fun of officials. Wei Tai, a great master in the Northern Song Dynasty, recorded in A Record of Dong Xuan that "so far many people have laughed at the chief executive". In other words, many actresses are joking with officials now.
At that time, there was a great man named Ding Xianxian who satirized the emperor and the emperor was not angry. Ironically, Wang Anshi, the popular prime minister, can only laugh it off. It was much more ironic later. Wang Anshi was so angry that he wanted to kill him. The emperor rescued Ding Xianxian directly and let him hide in the palace.
There are many scattered stories about Xianyou in history. It seems that the ancients also liked the first paragraph. Of course, interesting stories can also gain some knowledge. Who doesn't like listening to them?
I will sort out these stories and send them out later. I will try my best to mark the source. If you have a similar story, you can also tell me in the message area.
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