Chapter 3

"Inside the Bedchamber"

Classical Chinese Sexology

Thanks to the Yin-Yang philosophy and the positive sexual attitudes prev-
alent in ancient times, China is the source of the world's oldest sexolog-
ical texts. When the Chinese began recording their sexual beliefs and
knowledge is unknown. The oldest known texts, which were clearly based
on an already well-developed tradition, were written more than 2,000
years ago.
As will be shown, these texts generally intertwine three themes: the
mystical benefits of sexual intercourse, the health benefits of intercourse
conducted according to certain theories, and the inherent pleasurability
of sexual contact. Despite their burden of alchemical symbolism, many
of these works are as remarkable for their acute naturalistic observation
as for their sharp contrast with the prudery of many contemporary West-
em thinkers and of later eras in Chinese history.

THE EARLIEST CHINESE SEX BOOKS

The Oldest Known Texts

As noted in Chapter 1, excavations at Former Han Tomb No. 3 in

Hunan province brought to light fourteen medical texts which had been
buried in 168 B.C. Three of these books are sexological texts, titled by
the discoverers Ten Questions and Answers (Shi-wan), Methods of Intercourse

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F. F. Ruan, Sex in China
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1991
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between Yin and Yang (He-yin-yang-fang), and Lectures on the Super Tao
in the World (T:tan-xia-zhi-tao-tan) (Li, Chen, & Ruan, 1987), the earliest
extant Chinese sexological works. These ancient classics provided very
explicit instructions regarding techniques of sexual intercourse. The fol-
lowing example is drawn from a section of Lectures on the Super Tao in
the World, subtitled "Seven Injuries and Eight Advantages" (qi sun ba yi):
Before coitus, you should engage in foreplay with her until
she wants to be entered. This principle is called "zhi-shi," meaning
that you must know what is the right time; in short, "wait until the
right time."
You should wait and let your penis become harder and larger.
This principle is called "xu qi''-"accumulating your vital energy [chi]."
You should insert it slowly and be in harmony with your lady.
This principle is called "huo-mei"-"harmony with your woman."
You may sometimes thrust strongly and rapidly, and sometimes
keep your penis in her vagina without any movement at all, to wait
and let her sexual climax come. This principle is called "dai-yin"
(obtaining orgasm).
After your ejaculation, you should withdraw when your penis
is still half-erect. This principle is called "ding-qing" (getting out/
leaving at the right time). (Yi Jiancun, 1980; Zhou Yrmiu, 1989; trans-
lated by the author)

The concept of the "Seven Injuries and Eight Advantages" was an

important element of classical Chinese sexology and traditional Chinese
medicine, which was also emphasized in the Yellow Emperor's Canon
of Medicine, mentioned in the previous chapter as the oldest and greatest
medical classic extant in China. The book consists of two sections, the
Plain Questions (Su Wen), written in the form of a dialogue, and the Mi-
raculous Pivot, also known as the Canon of Acupuncture (Ling Shu). The
questions cover a great variety of subjects, including the relationship be-
tween humanity and nature, the medical application of the theories of
Yin and Yang and of the Five Elements, the theory of the promotion of
the flow of vital energy, and specific discussions of human anatomy and
physiology, etiology of diseases, pathology, diagnosis and treatment, dis-
ease prevention, and health maintenance generally. The concept of the
"Seven Injuries and Eight Advantages" was particularly emphasized in
the following passage:
Chi Po answered: " ... Thus Yin and Yang alternate, their victo-
ries vary and so does the character of their diseases."
The Yellow Emperor asked: "Can anything be done to blend
and to adjust these two principles in nature?"
Po answered: "H one has the ability to know the seven injuries
and the eight advantages, the two principles can be brought into