Nothing to laugh about in China

By Johnny Erling

Johnny Erling schreibt die Kolumne für die China.Table Professional Briefings

A thing is funny when it upsets the established order. This is how George Orwell aptly described the core of comedy – and at the same time the reason why this form of entertainment is having a hard time in China. Because this cultural form, which has also become a lucrative business for investors, is now being strictly regulated.

The Chinese word for „humor“ – yōumò (幽默) – was adopted from English 100 years ago. In 1924, the essayist Lin Yutang (林语堂) coined the term. He saw humor and satire as driving forces of literary-cultural reform after 1919 to change Confucian-influenced society.

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