ABSTRACT
This chapter focusses on the importance of cultural context in understanding, responding to and using humour, both generally and in Asian cultures. It surveys the book's recurring themes, identifying threads drawn from traditional forms and uses of humour that are now woven into its modern expression across the cultures of Japan, the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Bali. While some commonalities of belief and custom that underlie much of today's popular comedy in these societies are explored, attention is also paid to the wide range of cultural variations and personal differences found in all of them. The multi-disciplinary field of humour studies is briefly outlined, including its recent evolution to provide applications such as humour training, hospital interventions, and use in teaching, advertising and diplomacy. For the actual or virtual traveller between cultures who is attempting to understand or respond to humour, the chapter stresses the importance of appreciating cultural values; and it summarises how each case study within the book relates the humour it examines to its cultural context and tradition.
