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The Age of Irreverence tells the story of why China’s entry into the modern age was not just traumatic, but uproarious. As the Qing dynasty slumped toward extinction, prominent writers compiled jokes into collections they called "histories of laughter." In the first years of the Republic, novelists, essayists and illustrators alike used humorous allegories to make veiled critiques of the new government. But, again and again, political and cultural discussion erupted into invective, as critics gleefully jeered and derided rivals in public. Farceurs drew followings in the popular press, promoting a culture of practical joking and buffoonery. Eventually, these various expressions of hilarity proved so offensive to high-brow writers that they launched a concerted campaign to transform the tone of public discourse, hoping to displace the old forms of mirth with a new one they called youmo (humor).
Christopher Rea argues that this period—from the 1890s to the 1930s—transformed how Chinese people thought and talked about what is funny. Focusing on five cultural expressions of laughter—jokes, play, mockery, farce, and humor—he reveals the textures of comedy that were a part of everyday life during modern China’s first "age of irreverence." This new history of laughter not only offers an unprecedented and up-close look at a neglected facet of Chinese cultural modernity, but also reveals its lasting legacy in the Chinese language of the comic today and its implications for our understanding of humor as a part of human culture.
E-Book Content
The Age of Irreverence A New History of Laughter in China 㕘䪹⎚
Christopher Rea
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
This content downloaded from 131.204.73.184 on Sun, 20 Nov 2016 23:50:22 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
The Age of Irreverence
This content downloaded from 131.204.73.184 on Sun, 20 Nov 2016 23:50:22 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
This content downloaded from 131.204.73.184 on Sun, 20 Nov 2016 23:50:22 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
The Age of Irreverence A New History of Laughter in China 㕘䪹⎚
Christopher Rea
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
This content downloaded from 131.204.73.184 on Sun, 20 Nov 2016 23:50:22 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
The Publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Philip E. Lilienthal Asian Studies Endowment Fund of the University of California Press Foundation, which was established by a major gift from Sally Lilienthal.
University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu. University of California Press Oakland, California © 2015 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rea, Christopher G., author. The age of irreverence : a new history of laughter in China / Christopher Rea. pages cm Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-520-28384-8 (hardcover : alk. paper)—ISBN 0-520-28384-8 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Chinese wit and humor—History and criticism. 2. Popular culture—China—History—19th century. I. Title. PL2403.R43 2015 895.17'4809—dc23 2015010050 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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In keeping with a commitment to support environmentally responsible and sustainable printing practices, UC Press has printed this book on Natures Natural, a fiber that contains 30% post-consumer waste and meets the minimum requirem