Jokes from Post-Reform China

Last week, we ran the first part of a series of popular Chinese jokes, translated by Guo Qitao, a UCI history professor. While the earlier jokes were from the Cultural Revolution period, the two jokes presented today are more recent and address issues at the core of the Chinese people’s concerns about their nation: responsible governance, inequality, and corruption. 江泽民来到天安门城楼上。 江泽民来到天安门城楼上。 往南看，贪官污吏一大片； 往北看，下岗工人八百万； 往东看，走私货轮正靠岸； 往西看，百姓全是穷光蛋； 往下看，法轮功还在转； 往上看，美国导弹到处窜； 往后看，接班人挤向前； 往前看，问毛主席怎么办？ 毛主席说：你下来躺着，我起来干。 Jiang Zemin mounted the gate at Tiananmen Square to survey the scene.[1] Looking south, he saw a sea of grubby officials all on the take; Looking north, eight million workers with no money to make.[2] To the east, ships of smuggled goods were coming into port; To the west, the unwashed masses all left with no support.[3] Looking down, Falungong was still doing its thing;[4] Looking up, American missiles were plummeting.[5] Behind him would-be successors were vying to be Number One; In front lay the late Chairman Mao and so he asked: “what‘s to be done?”[6] The Chairman said: “you lie down in my place, and let me have another run.