From the 3rd century before JC, in ancient China, circulate books
of sexual receipts: the " sex hand books", collections of
receipts for a sexual life corresponding to the principles of Tao.
The expression "The Tao of love" refers to this art of living.
According to Tao, an active and satisfactory sexual life represents
indeed a sort of life insurance. The more we plunge with enjoyment
there, the more we increase one's longevity, and prestige. The sexuality
is certainly aimed at reproduction, but joins doubtless much more
in both hedonist and especially more spiritual routes . The fulfillment
of one, passes by an active and satisfying sexual life. The Tao of
love appears in ancient China at the time when the society evolves
from matriarchy towards the patriarchy, men and women are then on
an equal footing as sexual partners. The sexuality is never considered
as a sin, but as a natural phenomenon.
The Taoism is interested in the woman's
pleasure, the role of the man is to lead her to it, that supposes
from his part the control of his excitation, the control of the ejaculation,
and needs a good sense of self awareness. The way of Tao is that of
the harmony and the balance, nobody would be frustrated in the sexual
exchange … Numerous symbols then became linked to the representation
of the man and the woman: Man is thus the white Tiger and the woman
the Green Dragon. Little by little, the prudish Confucianism will
attribute to the man a disproportionate ascendancy. Nevertheless,
the handbooks of sex will not be stored in the wall cupboard, but
designed for couple sex and love education and more particularly intended
for the man.
Originally, the term "yin" indicates all which relates to
the sex, it is only later that we attribute a purely feminine meaning.
The expression " yin tao " mean " principles of sexual
life ". These manuals highlight the inexhaustible
source of energy which represents the woman, and thus, while drawing
to this spring the man increases his own vitality and can even become
immortal. To put into practice these principles, the man has to have
numerous partners and satisfy them all … The sexual intercourse
symbolizes the union of the Earth and the Sky.
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The manuals of sex deal with the best way of making love, of prolonging
the sexual act, to easily reach pleasure, to have a descent and to
preserve a good health. These books are completely practical, illustrated
with precise drawings, they are intended for the novice couples, the
advice addresses as much the man as the woman, but this one is often
presented in initiator's role, doubtless in reference to a very ancient
matriarchy. Sex and Love Manual is a part of the trousseau of the
fiancée …
The book of Sou Nu, also called "
The girl of the innocence " was never found, but it is quoted
as reference in a collection of biographies of immortal characters
attributed awarded to Lieo Hsiang (77 - 6 before JC). The 63rd biography
stages a woman named Nu Ki, manageress of a bar which one day welcomes
an immortal who was traveling. As payment for her famous breuvages
, he offered her the Book of the Girl of Innocence.
When she read it, she understood that it explained the art to feed
nature and that of the sexual relations. She copied out the important
passages, and secretely made fit out a hidden bedroom in her
back shop. When it was made, she received beautiful young people there
which came to sample her liqueurs there and to lend themselves to
the exercises advised in the book. The legend wants that, after thirty
years of this diet, Nu Ki seemed even younger, fresher than in her
twenties. The immortal visited her once again and says to her:
" to steal Tao and to study it without a boss, it is to like
having wings and not being capable of flying" Then, Nu
Ki left her) hop and left together with immortal, nobody have ever
seen them again…
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Sou-Nu was the most famous initiators of the emperor Houang-Ti, thanks
to her invaluable handbook which explains in detail the reactions
of the woman and what the man has to do to lead her to the orgasm.
Sou-Nu describes 5 typical reactions:
" If the woman wishes the union, the man sees her breathing modifies.
If she wishes that he penetrates into her, the nostrils dilate and
her mouth half-opens.
If she wishes that the tide of the Yin rises, her body shivers and
she strictly tightens him in her arms.
If she longs ardently to be completely satisfied, she abundantly transpires
.
If her, desire is fulfilled, her body relaxs and she closes her eyes
as if she soundly slept . "
The informed reader, can usefully compare these descriptions with
the observations of Masters and Johnson …
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The sexand love manuls were illustrated
and stayed near the bed, so that the couple can consult them and embolden
the chastest. The oldest of these handbook, belongs to Han time, and
appear in the form of dialogues between the Emperor and one of his
initiators, even also a Boss. These works inspired by Tao collect
the approval of the Confucians because they are supposed to concern
only the sexual relations in couple… There is however another
viewpoint on these books: an esoteric and alchimical reading . The
used symbols indeed refer to a complex alchimical knowledge, and to
realize their big works the man and the woman will owe, let us not
doubt it, make numerous attempts on this way of fulfillment.
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In spite of diverse forms of repression,
specially the bans imposed by the Confucian doctrine, all the times
will see appearing mystico sectarian groups, lauding a ritualized
sexual activity intended to reach a spiritual harmony, and , as a
consequence of it, the immortality. The Taoism asserted that the man
and the woman could increase their energy, and their longevity by
making love. That was at the origin of numerous mystic groups practising
sexual act in group. For the second century AD, up to the neighborhood
of 1950, several groups formed which were repressed by the authorities
…
Books
Sexual Life in Ancient China: A Preliminary
Survey of Chinese Sex and Society from Ca. 1500 B.C. Till 1644 A.D.
Robert Van Gulik, Brill Academic Publishers; New Ed edition,2003
The Tao of Love and Sex,
Jolan Chang, Penguin Publishers, 1991
Human sexual response /
William H. Masters, research director ; Virginia E. Johnson, research
associate ; the Reproductive Biology Research Foundation, St. Louis,
Missouri Publisher: Boston : Little, Brown 1966
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