Abstract

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, appealing to emotions and logic in order to motivate or inform. As persuasive rhetorical discourse, humour has a long history in ancient Chinese philosophy, yet it is a subject that is understudied. By analysing the context and features of humour in early philosophical texts such as Mengzi 孟子 (The Works of Mencius), dating from the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), this study attempts to show how humour as rhetorical discourse has served pragmatic purposes of communication and persuasion and created a tradition that continues to influence modern practices in rhetoric and everyday life in Chinese culture.

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