Post 31 The ability to express oneself in a humorous way
During the Tang Dynasty ( 618 - 907 ), there was a child prodigy by the name of Liu Yan (刘晏). When he was eight years old, he was summoned to have an audience with the then Emperor Tang Xuan Zong (唐玄宗). The emperor was so impressed with the talent of Liu Yan that he appointed the boy genius to the post of what we call ‘editor’ today.
Once when the ten-year-old Liu Yan was summoned to the palace, he was asked by the emperor, “In regular writings, how many words can be written neatly and correctly?”
Liu Yan then answered," All the words under heaven can be written well, except for the word 'friends’ (朋 ) which can never be written properly.”
There is punning on the word ‘friends’ which has a double meaning here. When Liu Yan specifically mentioned the word ‘friends’, he was insinuating that when cronies or close friends were given special privileges at the expense of justice and fair play, the word ‘friends’ could never be written correctly and rightly. It will look crooked no matter how it is written.
By manifesting a keen insight into matters like corruption and favouritism at the age of ten, Liu Yan had shown himself to be a child of extraordinary charm and wit.
2 February 2010
There is punning on the word ‘friends’ which has a double meaning here. When Liu Yan specifically mentioned the word ‘friends’, he was insinuating that when cronies or close friends were given special privileges at the expense of justice and fair play, the word ‘friends’ could never be written correctly and rightly. It will look crooked no matter how it is written.
By manifesting a keen insight into matters like corruption and favouritism at the age of ten, Liu Yan had shown himself to be a child of extraordinary charm and wit.
2 February 2010
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