Chinese Erotic of the XIX century
In the western world eroticism is still a thorny theme. Conditioned by over 2 thousand years of Catholicism and by the Victorian period, the west looks at eroticism just in the negative aspect of payment sexuality or sexual deviations. The culture of the extreme east and particularly of China is another thing. The Chinese life and culture are based first on Taoism , whose birth and place of birth can’t be defined, but the last two centuries before Christ, the more puritan Confucianism appears without being in conflict: both looked for the equilibrium between Yin and Yang, they were the expression themselves. The Taoism could be identified with the principle of the Yin and the Confucianism with that one of Yang. China, a polygamist society, differed from the others because between the rural class and the aristocracy existed a big middle class made of tradesmen and merchants who could allow themselves even 12 wives or concubines (R. Tannahill, Storia dei costumi sessuali, Rizzoli, Milano 1985, p.168). Even if talking publicly of sexual pleasures was considered of bad taste, in the “mysterious room” they followed the advices of a great number of taoist books , the most famous was : “ the admirable conversations of the simple girl” or “the pure girl and the yellow emperor” (I think they are the same). The weddings were combines and ruled by precise indications based on Confucio’s thought, and our idea of romantic love was not included. One could think that a rich man, surrounded by many women , didn’t want whores; it’s not exactly so.
“ a good husband often went to whores, but not for sex but to avoid it [..] the green alcove gave peace, relax and good food, music and dance. Until the XIX century, the whore-house just for sex , it was very rare” .”( ibidem, p. 172)
In fact, these fans can be dated at the last quarter of the XIX century and we are still trying to deepen the literary notes. We haven’t talked of the female situation in general and of the condition of the primary wives, of the secondary ones and of the concubines just for the need of synthesis; obviously we accepts every suggestion.
Shanmou Wangsu
