jokes from ancient china

Famine Conditions

One year the countryside was truck by famine. Farmers went to the local officials to report the conditions of the famine and to ask for tax exemptions.

"How much wheat have you harvested this year?" a local official asked an old man who had come to report.

"30%," answered the old man.

"How about cotton?"

"20%."

"And rice?"

"20%, as well."

"That makes 70% of the year's harvest. What kind of fabricated famine report is this?" the official said angrily.

"I'm now over one hundred and forty. I have never seen such an extraordinarily serious famine." the old man said.

The official was now in a greater rage and scolded him for lying about his age.

"Well," said the old man calmly. "I'm older than seventy, but my elder son is forty and my younger son is thirty. That adds up to over one hundred and forty, doesn't it?"

At that, the whole hall rocked with laughter.

(Compiled and Translated by Liu Jiangting et al.)

The Datacom Ad Network