Book: Passions of the Cut Sleeve

A book review by JW

If one has an awareness of homosexuality in the history of old China, a reader could seek out many ancient Chinese writings that describe in both graphic and poetic terms how men openly loved men. One textbook that more fully discusses this clearly taboo topic in today's China is Passions of the Cut Sleeve. The author presents a thoroughly researched and academic overview of the historical traditions of homosexuality in China.

What is salient about this text is the abandonment of the stereotypical notion of a Chinese life and culture in dynastic times which conformed to one narrow view of family-based thoughts and behaviors. In contrast, the widely read textbook that's used in many American universities' "Chinese History" courses, China: Its History and Culture (3rd Ed.) by W. Scott Morton, McGraw-Hill, 1995, gives the reader an impression that society in old China was homogeneous. Passions of the Cut Sleeves Hinsch claims that this, indeed, was not the case, at least in terms of tolerance toward homosexuality.

Hinsch begins his tome by pointing out that one of the earliest surveys of poetic anthologies, The Classic of Odes, from the Zhou dynasty (1122-256 B.C.) presents several poems that seem to suggest a love, or at least a strong emotional bond, between two males. Hinsch concedes that some of these early Chinese writings were not gender-specific and thus writers could possibly be referring to either men or women. However, he also offers compelling evidence that shows many later literati were very specific in alerting the reader that the early authors Were indeed, referring to men.

One tale from the Zhou period tells of the love between two men that was so strong, that in death they were buried next to each other. The story continues that on the mound near their graves two trees suddenly began growing and the branches became so entangled, they appeared to be embracing one another. The allegory was passed on as the "Shared Pillow Tree" and handed down to generations as a story glorifying the love between two men. While the story never mentioned homosexuality, there are references in the ancient text that say they "were as affectionate as man and wife." Hinsch concludes that these men created a sexual and emotional bond so strong that its meaning survived even death.

Another tale gives a more touching description of Zhou homosexuality with the description of the love of Duke Ling of Wei (534-493 B.C.), as recorded in an ancient work titled Han Fei Zi. In this story the Duke's favorite, Mizi Xia, was once strolling with the ruler and together they came upon a peach tree. Mizi Xia and the Duke began eating of the tree when Mizi Xia suddenly noticed that his peach was more deliciously sweet than the rulers. Mizi Xia immediately stopped eating his peach and gave the remaining half to his lord. The ancient text says that the Duke exclaimed, "How sincere is your love for me. you forgot your own appetite and think only of giving me good things to eat." Hinsch points out that this expression of love mentioned simply as the "half-eaten peach," has been handed down to generations in countless writings and survives even today as an oblique literary reference to homosexuality.

To further present evidence of how homosexuality had a pervasive role in everyday Chinese life, Hinsch presents that the Zhou dynasty was brought to the point of crisis because government officials were making disastrous appointments based upon how "pleasant featured and attractive" a man was, rather than on his competence. The author spotlights the writings of several literati of the time who felt compelled to complain about the practice of employing ". . . a man simply because (they) love his appearance." This practice apparently continued throughout several dynasties and one Han writer recorded in Intrigues of the Warring States the observation that "a beautiful lad can ruin an older head."

Hinsch observes that there is plenty of other evidence to suggest that homosexuality was an accepted part of sexual life within the circle of the monarchs when the Zhou dynasty was replaced by the Han dynasty in 206 B.C. He points out that at this time the literati began to more consistently use the word, "favorite," presumably as a euphemism for homosexual lover, to describe the monarchs' close male friends. These so-called favorites most often rose to lofty official ranks and accrued extraordinary privileges owing to their unique intimacy with the emperors. Hinsch speculates that because same-sex love must have been so prevalent, literati only wrote of such practices if they had an impact upon an historical event.

Hinsch reports that Han literati, in particular, paint an early picture of openness to homosexuality tradition and he highlights the famous tale of Emperor Ai and his favorite, Dong Xian. As a prelude to the story Hinsch points out that a vast amount of literature describe Emperor Ai as someone who " . . . did not care for women." In an attempt to captivate the thinking of Chinese homosexuality at that time, the author offers a short passage from Memoirs of the Historian and Records of the Han - a written accounting of the emperor's love for his beloved Dong Xian:

Emperor Ai was sleeping in the daytime with Dong Xian stretched out across his sleeve. When the emperor wanted to get up, Dong Xian was still asleep. Because he did not want to disturb him, the emperor cut off his own sleeve and got up. His love and thoughtfulness went this far.

Hinsch makes the case that the dramatic ascendancy of Dong Xian to almost the highest office of the land further supports a conclusion that Chinese homosexuality must surely have had an extensive influence on society. He believes that not only was homosexuality accepted, it formed the basis of upper class life. Passions of the Cut Sleeve documents that throughout later Chinese literature there are numerous references to the cut sleeve and half-eaten peach as a means of signifying a strong devotion to a male friend - a homosexual love. The author calls the reader's attention to the practice of emperors having favorites throughout the dynastic period and alludes to famed stories that persisted through the Ming Emperors Wuzong (1506-1522), Shenzong (1573-1620) and Xizong (1621-1628).

The author provides an intriguing glimpse of aspects of homosexual life during the time of Han up through the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and instructs that through the centuries, there emerged a more enriched vocabulary to describe love between people of the same sex. Some examples he includes are (English translations are used here): "male wind,' "lover of the cut sleeve," "half-eaten peach," "man of jade," "linked jade disks.'' Of note, as he points out in a later chapter of the text, it was not until the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) that more negative terms developed.

Hinsch claims that homosexuality had several advantages over heterosexuality during the dynastic period. Because of the prevalence of arranged marriages, where unions were mainly marriages of two households (the to-be-married did not even have to be consulted), he opines that many couples must have found themselves sexually incompatible. Since homosexuality had no associated shame and presented no potential for pregnancy, Hinsch wonders if it must certainly have been viewed as an attractive option for those wanting sexual gratification outside of the marriage. The author admonishes that, while sexual encounters between a wife and a man other than her husband were impossible because of strict traditional standards for women, the husband was free to form loving relationships with other men as a complementary emotional outlet to married life. According to the author, not only was choosing the right favorite an important consideration for the upper class, but also during these early times of undependable methods of contraception, homosexuality activity must have surely been a viable substitute for those wanting more pleasurable relationships without the worries of procreation. He reminds the reader that unwed mothers would have caused serious problems for a society acutely conscious of kinship, ancestry and prone to ostracize a "bastard" child.

Love between two men spawned a plethora a poetic works through the ages. Hinsch presents a text immortalizing a love that a man can have for another man by the writer, Ruan Ji. Written during the Qin dynasty (210-263), it recounts a famous story of two favorites, An Ling and Long Yang, who lived during the Zhou dynasty.

	In days of old there were many blossom boys -
		An Ling and Long Yang
	Dazzling with glorious brightness.
		Joyful as nine springtimes;
	Pliant as if bowed by autumn frost.

	Roving glances give rise to beautiful seductions;
		Speech and laughter expelled fragrance.
	Hand in hand they shared love's rapture.
		Sharing coverlets and bedclothes.

	Couples of birds in flight,
		Paired wings soaring.
	Cinnabar and green pigments record a vow:
		"I'll never forget you for all eternity."

Hinsch relates another poem with a homosexual theme where the Emperor Jianwen (550-551) wrote of his favorite and remarked that his beauty "surpass(ed) Dong Xian and Mizi Xia." To the researcher this would be a clear reference to two homosexual lovers from ancient texts.

Passions of the Cut Sleeve portrays homosexuality as one constant that continued through China's countless bloody revolutions, wars, uprisings and fateful changes in dynasties. The author even relates numerous writings that more graphically depict homosexual practices. One particularly bawdy tale from the Ming writer, Li Yu, describes a sexual encounter between the young lover, Zhong, and Zhang, a soldier-warrior. Their devoted love is unique in that Zhong is the active person in the relationship and the soldier is the passive. Returning from a glorious battle the two partake in what Hinsch describes as "passionate ecstasy;"

Zhong became slow and gentle, giving tight thrusts and cautious pulls. In a short while waves of passion gushed forth from Zhang's cave of sin and sprayed out like jade mist.

The waves of passion, rich and milky, flowed against the current, wending past his coccyx, wetted the bamboo mat below.

The waves of passion, frothing and surging, first streamed forth along the length of Zhong's penis, then soaked downward along his body.

While this writing may be considered pornographic by today's standards, Hinsch informs the reader that in many ways the Tang and the Ming dynasties were the most liberal and produced the greatest amount of literature like this to describe the openness to homosexuality. As mentioned earlier, it was during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912), that there appeared to be a backlash toward the individual permissiveness and liberal ways of the previous rulers. With this more conservative government there appeared gradual changes in attitudes towards homosexuality that were observed and duly reported by the literati of this period. Homosexuals began to be labeled as prostitutes and described in more negative terms such as actors who wore too much makeup and those who behaved in effeminate ways. Further, it was during this period that, for the first time, a comprehensive law addressing punishment for homosexual rape was enacted. Hinsch calls the readers attention to the eighth article of that law to vividly illustrate the drastic change in attitudes towards homosexuality.

Article Eight prohibited consensual homosexual relations.

While the Qing period did present an unprecedented judicial hostility, Hinsch notes that it was still during the height of this dynasty that some of the most erotic art was produced. The apparent reluctance to depict the sexual act in paintings created for commercial consumption that was common in earlier periods, was abandoned. The author describes surviving examples of Chinese erotic art were men are participating in a homosexual act; with most pictures distinguishing between the active and passive partner. These paintings show people of all ages and some depict bi-sexual encounters. With regard to the latter he describes this painting that shows a man penetrating a woman's vagina as a second man begins to penetrate the first man's anus.

In the final section of the text the author titles, "Epilogue," he concludes that in present day China homosexuals have a difficult life. Hinsch notes that while Chinese history strongly embraces a desire to understand and appreciate ancient traditions, the legacy of the cut sleeve has been blatantly overlooked and downright voided. He blames ultra conservative interpretations of Neo-Confucianism, with its emphasis on familial connections, for current day anti-homosexuality linkings to Chinese traditions. He also observes the declining influence of favorites during the Qing period and the parallel rise of bureaucratic government offices as an additional reason for the change in attitudes. Additionally, Hinsch indicts Muslim conquerors, western missionary influences and the inevitable revolutions in thinking brought about by western invaders. For instance, the author reports on one recent historical accounting that quotes 19th century western invaders who observe the "Chinese addiction to buggerie and Sodomy." Passions of the Cut Sleeve presents numerous written accounts which further document savage physical and emotional persecution of Chinese homosexuals by invaders from the "modern west."

Gays and lesbians from the West traveling to China can't help but be struck by the absence of any organized entity that claims to be representative of homosexuals. According to the author, in views expressed by mainland Chinese men and women, it's possible to quickly absorb that there are at least two major perceptions about this topic. The first is that homosexuality is rare, if not non-existent in China. The second is that homosexuality is a Western behavior that has been imported to China. While there definitely is an interest in the topic of homosexuality, this interest seems to be more in how to "cure" these "misfits," than in an emphasis on learning of China's homosexual traditions. To say that there is a benign ignorance about homosexuality, would be an understatement.

In summary, today's travelers to China can easily observe attitudes toward homosexuality that support the assertion of the author - the earlier lovingly poetic meaning of the cut sleeve, is lost forever. The Chinese have unabashedly adopted the western view of homosexuality which allows for labeling homosexuals in negative terms. The author suggests that because the Chinese are particularly enamored with science, it has been easy to assimilate into everyday Chinese thought and opinion, the western scientific community's earlier psychological views that homosexuality is a "sickness." Thus the wealth of beautiful writings of old China, where homosexuality was celebrated and identified as a treasured feeling and relationship between two people of the same sex, are today viewed as only and expression of deep friendship. The more graphic writings are probably considered isolated historical incidences of deviance. Alas, the tale of the cut sleeve has become nothing more than a simple child's story, a parable-like tale that tells of the importance of being and having a loyal friend.  

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