Homosexuality in Chinese Literature

Homosexuality has been portrayed in classical Chinese Literature.

In the famous novel "Dream of Red Chamber", the protagonist Baoyu was inferred to have a kind of special relationship with a young scholar Mr. Jiang.

In the erotic novel "Jin Ping Mei' (Golden Vase Plum), the protagonist Ximon Esq had four wives/concubnes and affairs with nannies and even seduced wives of friend/neighbor.

Even though he was so busy, he still had an affair with his male servant.

But strictly speaking, both Baoyu and Simon Esq are bisexuals since they also liked girls.

For contemporary Chinese literature, the most famous homosexual writer is Kenneth Pai 白先勇 from Taiwan. His famous novel Crystal Boys 孽子 has been circulated in Mainland and translated into English and French. It has also been made into movie twice.

taiwan has a tv drama based on 白先勇's 孽子 recently, and has also made a new teen drama on gays... tw has been more open about the issue compared to hk and cn ;

ancient chinese literature has records/ stories about the 斷袖分桃, i don't which period/ kings/ officials though

What other novels old and new do you know of on this topic. Is it a topic often referred to in today's litterature in China?

the very talented writer 王小波 's 《东宫·西宫》

Its a play script though, but has won a couple of awards.

东宫 and 西宫 refer to two men' washrooms in a park.

Ian Lee: as far as I have understood from the book, Xue Pan says Baoyu has a relationship with this Jiang, but in fact they're just friends. Xue Pan himself, however, tries to seduce Jiang, but Jiang doesn't like that, and beats him up after luring him to a lonely place.

Dont forget

i.e.<品花宝鉴>

My professor has written an interesting paragraph in one of his books on this topic..it's in italian though!

The name of this book is "L'amore in Cina", "love in China" and the author's name is Paolo Santangelo. The part of your interest should be included in chapter one, from page 53 to 63, entitled "Alcuni argomenti omosessuali e misogini"/"Some issues on homosexuality and misogyny". Try to google it, and see what you can find.

If you can't find the book anywhere, send me a PM!

Bye!

taiwan has a tv drama based on 白先勇's 孽子 recently, and has also made a new teen drama on gays... tw has been more open about the issue compared to hk and cn ;

Hi,

Do you know the name of the new teen drama on gays?

Haha...homosexuality in chinese literature in modern days have been popular that it has a whole genre dedicated to it, like kungfu novels or love stories. It is called 耽美 dan mei. Those innocent days where homosexuality in literature is a taboo are long gone...

The story of what happens in the all-boys school in the Dream of Red Mansions would have got any publisher in a Western country arrested just a few decades ago and would still go well beyond what is acceptable in the mainstream today.

I also remember the scene where Qin Zhong (a boy in his early teens) manages to get a pretty young nun into bed. If they are caught both their lives would probably be ruined. So they are absolutely terrified when a third person suddenly jumps into bed with them and grabs on to them tightly. It is dark so they can't tell who this third person is but when the mysterious intuder start laughing they realise it is Baoyu (Qin Zhong's friend and also then a boy in his early teens). The girl runs off and Baoyu tells Qin Zhong he will expose him for attempting to violate a nun unless Qin Zhong gives him an extra special good time after they go to bed that night.

Ian Lee: as far as I have understood from the book, Xue Pan says Baoyu has a relationship with this Jiang, but in fact they're just friends. Xue Pan himself, however, tries to seduce Jiang, but Jiang doesn't like that, and beats him up after luring him to a lonely place.

You are thinking of 柳湘莲. Ian Lee was referring to 蒋玉函.

You are thinking of 柳湘莲. Ian Lee was referring to 蒋玉函.

I am surprised no one has mentioned Li Yu's Twelve Towers or 十二楼 (a collection of short stories). In terms of sexual exploration, Li Liweng is the Marquis de Sade of Chinese letters (or the closest to Sade that China has got).

Then there is also 《秋》 in which the 4th and 5th uncles have relationships with a couple of 旦角 (male actors who play female roles).

I wrote a paper on male homosexuality in the literature of late-Imperial China in my undergrad years, which focused on three pieces of writing.

Li Yu’s A Male Mencius’s Mother Raises her Son Properly by Moving House Three Times 李渔《男孟母教合三迁》

Chen Sen’s Precious Mirror for Gazing at Flowers 陈森 《品花宝鉴》

the Bian er Chai anthology 弁而釵

There are some great books in English on the topic, especially for historical works, like Passions of the Cut Sleeve and Homosexuality and Civilization, though that one is rather broad and has one chapter devoted to China - a nice overview.

白先勇‘ 孽子 is my favorite book. His style of writing is so beautiful, he is able to make the most disgusting aspects of life seem like a poem. 孽子 is a book of so much passion. The Movie is horrid, it takes a beautiful and tragic story and makes a joke out of it. It gave no respect to the characters. However, the mini series I thought was wonderful. The actors were great and looked the part, and the music really fit the story. They seemed to pretty much white wash the prostitution aspect, which has not a good thing, but besides that it was a great job.

I agree, both book and series are great. I didn't know there was a movie too. I also agree that it's a pity the sex and prostitution wasn't shown at all, only vaguely hinted at. You could watch the whole thing and believe A-Qing was still a virgin by the end of it.