Homosexual Terminology in Classical Chinese Literature

Homosexual Terminology in Classical Chinese Literature

Since chapter 9 is filled with all sorts of homosexual activity, we might as well take a look at some of the literary terms used to refer to homosexual activity.

Though it might seem a little bit unusual if you haven’t been exposed to it yet, euphamisms for same-sex sexuality weren’t quite as rare in classical Chinese literature as you might think.

We’ve already seen a few so far:

• 龍陽之興, or “the interests of Long Yang” refers directly to homosexuality. Long Yang was the homosexual lover of King Anxi of Wei during the Warring States period of Chinese history.

• 貼燒餅, which literally means “to stick shaobing together,” refers directly to homosexual activity.

And there are more, too. Here are a few that I’ve pieced together from Chinese History: A New Manual by Endymion Wilkinson: