Golden and jade leaves of the harem

Author: Xiang Si
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features:
1. Sexual Enlightenment in the Palace
China has been under a monarchy since the establishment of the Xia Dynasty until 1911. The emperor system, which began in the Qin Dynasty, was a completely developed monarchy. The feudal autocratic era in China has always been governed with Confucianism as the ruling ideology. Confucianism emphasizes loyalty and filial piety. The core of filial piety is to continue the family line, as it is said that there are three kinds of unfilial behavior, and not having descendants is the greatest. Therefore, China has always been a nation that pays great attention to continuing the family line. In the imperial family of a dynasty ruled by a single lineage, continuing the family line becomes even more urgent and important.
Chinese imperial courts throughout history have placed great importance on producing many offspring. Court officials who advanced in their careers through Confucian studies have also consistently shown full attention to the emperor's efforts to produce many offspring. To produce many offspring requires early and frequent reproduction. Of course, most of the emperors in Chinese history indulged in sensual pleasures, often using the excuse of producing many offspring. It seems that their indulgence in beauty was also a historical responsibility, for the sake of the state and the people.
However, wasn't one of the main purposes of the emperors of China in seizing and ruling the throne to indulge in the desires for food, clothing, and sexual pleasure? Therefore, it is not surprising that emperors living among women indulged in sexual pleasures all day long. The young emperor and crown prince were no exception. The young emperor and crown prince received a good education in the palace from a very young age and began to receive sexual enlightenment before entering puberty. The personal eunuchs who were carefully selected were responsible for the early sexual enlightenment of the young emperor or crown prince.
The Chinese palace housed a large number of diverse erotic paintings, as well as many vivid and unique sculptures of men and women engaging in sexual acts, such as the "Joyful Buddha." The eunuchs were responsible for showing these paintings and sculptures to the young emperor or crown prince, explaining their meanings, and sometimes sending female attendants to teach the art of sexual intimacy.
Special palaces were also specially set aside in the palace, decorated with lifelike sculptures and murals depicting sexual acts. The young emperor and crown prince entered puberty and began a completely new life through this sexual enlightenment.
Sometimes, the emperor or empress would send personal attendants to guide the crown prince or young emperor who were still in a state of confusion. These attendants were often a few years older than the crown prince or young emperor and were knowledgeable about matters of the opposite sex and skilled in matters of romance. Such dedication and guidance sometimes led to some attendants becoming pregnant. However, the young emperor or crown prince seemed to have no attachment to these attendants and did not summon them for favor or affection afterward.
During the Ming Dynasty under Emperor Wanli, the eunuch Liu Ruoyu said that the Ming palace housed a "Joyful Buddha" depicting sexual acts. This "Joyful Buddha" was extremely unique and lifelike: each Buddha was adorned with elaborate jewelry and held each other, with two parts coming together and capable of movement. Before the young emperor's wedding, the eunuchs would guide the emperor into a special hall, where he would first pay a respectful bow. After completing the bow, he would be instructed to touch the hidden parts of the "Joyful Buddha" and silently understand the method of their union.
To reveal the emperor's sexual concepts and stimulate their sexual desires, the Chinese palace also made painstaking efforts. For example, small animals were raised in the palace, allowing the emperor to observe the natural sexual instincts of various animals, such as cats and dogs. Therefore, the Ming Dynasty's Forbidden Imperial Secrets said: The purpose of raising cats in the palace was to consider that the prince and grandsons grew up in the depths of the palace for many years and might not know about male and female pleasure, delaying the important task of having children. Let them see the male and female cats chasing, playing,