Top Ten Banned Books in China - New Edition

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Features: Erotic works from China and abroad have distinct cultural characteristics. Chinese erotic literature focuses on the description of sexual behavior, being direct,, and morally reprehensible—"the words are obscene, the books are vile." In contrast, foreign erotic works, besides depicting sexual acts, also finely portray the psychological experiences of the protagonists regarding sex. The writing styles are diverse, such as Sadism by de Sade and Sexual Anarchy by D.H. Lawrence. These ten books are selected as part of the Forbidden Classics by the Chinese Association of Forbidden Books from 119 ancient Chinese forbidden works. The content of these books often involves love stories, such as the of young girls, extramarital affairs of middle-aged women, intimacy between two men, or romance between two women, all banned due to excessive sexual descriptions. Most of these novels encompass Buddhism, Taoism, medicine, and philosophy, so throughout the books, readers can find practices for longevity, bedroom techniques, anti-aging elixirs, and life-altering remedies—covering a wide range of topics with numerous secrets. The renowned sexology master, Richard von Krafft-Ebing, compiled his work The Chinese Room based on these forbidden novels. At first glance, these works may seem obscene, but upon close reading, the original intent of the authors was to teach people to moderate sexual desires, not to encourage; to caution against sexual excess, not to promote it. The authors' hearts were filled with great wisdom and compassion.