Here is Will and Guy's collection of short Chinese jokes to reflect the humour of this ancient culture.
How to Translate English Jokes into Chinese
John Evans, a motivational speaker once gave a talk in Beijing, China
he asked for his speech to be simultaneously translated into Mandarin.
The original version contained some rather elaborate jokes in English,
which he feared would not translate easily. But, much to his delight,
the delegates laughed hysterically at each joke. At the end of the
session, John congratulated the translator on his brilliant
interpretation of subtle English humour. "How did you manage to get all
those jokes across?" he asked. "Oh, I didn't bother," the translator
replied. "I just said, 'he is making joke now, please laugh'."
The great theorist of rhetorical humour, Cicero, thought that jokes can
win the goodwill of the audience; if they exhibit refinement and
cleverness then they can undermine an opponent.
Footnote
Please send us your funny Chinese jokes.
