The Song Dynasty in "Funny Talk about the Song Dynasty" was a dynasty that made people laugh and then fall silent.
There is Su Shi roasting Dongpo meat in Huangzhou and writing "The most delicious taste in the world is pure joy"; there is also Lu You riding a donkey across the rivers and mountains, blending the dream of the Northern Expedition into poems; there is the elegance of Li Qingzhao gambling on books and splashing tea, and there is also the anger of Yue Fei.
In the market place, the Goulan Houses sang Liu Yong's new lyrics, and in the restaurants and tea houses, soldiers secretly opened "side businesses"; in the court, Wang Anshi's reform was so loud that his face was red, but Qin Hui's abacus was better than anyone else.
It is so prosperous that the sails on the Bian River can block the setting sun; it is also so hesitant that the names of the sixteen states of Yanyun have become a heartache for generations of emperors and ministers.
Reading through these interesting stories, one will laugh at Su Shi's open-mindedness, feel sad at Lu You's persistence, and be impressed by Yue Fei's experiences. Between a relaxed smile and a quiet silence, you can understand the many sides of a dynasty - both as sweet as frosting and as painful as a knife.
