Translated by Laughing Forest Records

Answer 1

The Laughing Forest is a collection of jokes written by Cheng Shijue in the Qing Dynasty. The following are some of the stories with annotations:
1. ** Mutton and goose **
- The man asked,"Mutton and goose." Why is it so poisonous?" Someone replied,"I've been a vegetarian all my life."
- Someone asked,"Why does mutton and goose have such a strong fishy smell?" "It's because I've been a vegetarian all my life," replied another.
2. ** A load of jokes **
- ** Original text **: The scholar was about seventy years old when he suddenly gave birth to a son. Born because of age, that is, age. Soon after, he gave birth to a son who seemed to be able to read and named him learning. The following year, he gave birth to another son. "It's a joke to have a son at such an old age," he said with a smile. Therefore, it was called a joke. The three men were old and had nothing to do. They all went into the mountains to gather firewood. When they came back, the husband asked,"Which of the three has more firewood?" His wife said,"I'm old, but I don't have any knowledge at all. I have a load of jokes."
- There was a scholar who was nearly seventy years old. His wife suddenly gave birth to a son. Because he was already old and talented, he gave birth to a son, so he named him "Nian Ji". Not long after, she gave birth to another son. He looked like a scholar, so she named him "Knowledge". In the third year, she gave birth to a son. The scholar laughed."You're already so old, yet you still have a son. What a joke." Hence, it was named 'Joke'. When the three sons grew up, they had nothing to do. The scholar asked them to go into the mountains to gather firewood. When they came back, the husband asked his wife,"Which of the three people gathered more firewood?" "You're old, but you don't have any knowledge at all," said his wife."You have a lot of jokes."
3. ** Lure and avoid **
- ** Original text **: There are snobbish people, every time they go out to meet the crown cover, they will avoid it. When asked why, the man replied,"I give up my parents." He kept doing this, and his companions hated him. When he met a beggar, he followed his example and said,"Give up your parents." "Why do you have such a close relative?" "But all the good ones have been recognized by you," said the man.
- There was a vain person who avoided high officials and dignitaries when they passed by. When his companions asked him why he did that, he said,"That's my relative." He had done this many times, and every time, he was like this. The people in the same trade all felt disgusted. Later, he suddenly met a beggar on the road. His companions followed his example and hid beside him, saying,"That beggar is my relative." The vain man asked,"How can you have such a poor relative?" "Because you've recognized all the good ones," said his colleague.
4. ** Originally illiterate **
- The original text of the poem was: A man was inviting a master to teach his son. When the master came, the master said,"My family is poor, and I have been impolite to you. What can I do?" The Master said,"What modesty are you speaking of? There is nothing I cannot do." The host said,"Is it okay to eat vegetables?" "Yes," said the man. The host said,"There is no harvest in the house. I will trouble you, sir, to do all the sweeping of the yard, the opening and closing of the doors, and the cleaning of the yard. Will you do it?" "Yes," said the man.
- There was a man who wanted to ask a gentleman to educate his child. One day, a person came to apply for a job. The owner said,"Our family is poor. There may be many places where we are rude to you. What do you think?" The gentleman said,"No need to be so polite. I originally…"
5. ** Sacrifice **
- An instructor who was teaching in the imperial court came out of the imperial court and saw an elephant wandering on the street for a long time, unwilling to leave. When someone asked why, he replied,"I think it would be great if the pigs and sheep we sacrifice to our ancestors were so fat."
- ** Translated **:(No special notes, just follow the original text to understand)
6. ** Nothing **
- ** Original text **: Thieves went to various monasteries to steal the divine objects and spiritual hearts. Only the local temples were not taken. When he went to dig, he found nothing. "Look at his turban," he said with a sigh,"and he brought a head. It turns out that there's nothing in his stomach."
- ** Note **: Only: General.
- Thieves went to every temple to steal the treasures that were placed in the belly of the statue. Only the Land Shop (which should be the Land Temple) had not been stolen. When he arrived at the Earth Temple, he dug out the Earth Lord's stomach and saw that there was nothing in it. He sighed in horror and said,"Look at his turban. It turns out that there is nothing in his stomach!" (Metaphorically, a scholar who wears a headscarf and acts like a well-educated person, but in fact, his stomach is empty.)
7. ** Portrait **
- There was a person who specialized in painting people, but no business came. Someone advised him to draw a picture of himself and his wife, so that others would come and ask him to draw it. The painter did as he said. One day, his father-in-law came to see him. When he saw the painting, he asked,"Who is this woman?"
- ** Translated **:(No special notes, just follow the original text to understand)