Guanxi Master

Understanding the Chinese sense of humour

One of the big differences between Chinese and Western culture is in humour. Growing up in Australia, I sometimes struggled to understand why my aunts and uncles all thought a joke was so funny. Their particular way of telling the tale, repetitiously laboring the punch lines, irritated me. And they were vastly entertained by stories that I found not even slightly amusing. However, in my English education, I had failed to learn the Chinese sense of humour… and the deep reflection of Chinese society it reveals.

The root of the difference between Chinese and Western humor lies largely in the difference in logic. Western jokes often have an almost didactic structure, building up to the punch in the same way that we frame an argument or propose a thought. Think about it – “A guy walks into a bar…” You expect each new fact to build upon the previous, and therefore try to guess the result of the particular comedic equation.

Chinese humor differs greatly, however, for the simple reason that Chinese do not think in the same way that Westerners do. With their circular reasoning, they expect to hear an argument multiple times, each repetition focussing perhaps on a different emphasis. Therefore, while many Western jokes have predictable punch lines, Chinese humor delights in subtlety, and the joke teller who can carefully obscure his true meaning until the end is a master comedian indeed. The delight of the audience is in the fact that the punch line was under their nose the entire time, yet they failed to see it until it was revealed.

Jokes with this structure will often utilize guan ko (贯口) or xie yin (谐音) in an almost pun-like way, taking advantage of the many similar tones and pronunciations in Chinese and creating hilarious opportunities for misinterpretation. By speaking quickly or unclearly, the joke teller can make her listeners rely on the normal contextual meaning. She’ll repeat herself multiple times, puzzling the audience and “expecting” them to understand her. Then, on the final repetition, she will speak slowly and clearly, revealing a pun that was completely unexpected. The audience roars with appreciation as they realize her double meaning. However, without her explanation, the joke would have remained meaningless.

This need for explanation is also the basis behind dou bao fu (抖包袱), literally meaning “to suddenly remove the wrapping.” Used extensively in xiang sheng (相声), a two-actor comedy form, dou bao fu expects the audience to rely upon the final revelation of the joke’s true significance. Good routines will often have multiple layers of meaning, each funnier than the last, and as the comedians “unwrap” the joke, the audience sit back and enjoy the humor. It is almost impolite for them to “get” the joke before it’s been fully unwrapped, and so Chinese etiquette teaches the listener to not try to guess ahead. This makes the punch line particularly funny, as the audience “get it” as one.

While most Chinese do not perform on stage, they still incorporate these conventions into their daily lives. When relaying a humorous incident, they will tell the story, and then explain to you why it was funny. They make extensive use of puns in their own jokes, which, unfortunately, only very fluent foreigners can usually understand. When listening, they refrain from “getting” a punch line until the teller “unwraps” it. 

This is different, perhaps, to Western humor, which uses more interaction and requires the listener to reach the conclusions for himself. It is also different in that Chinese explanations usually provoke more laughter than the joke itself (while explanation is the death of a Western joke). Chinese humor is a communal experience that encourages corporate enjoyment, and as each individual lays aside guessing and moving ahead, she appreciates the humor with her community. As such, Chinese humor is a reflection of traditional cultural expectations, and delights in the unity and togetherness of life.