Chinese Sex Culture Museum, Tongli, ChinaThe small Chinese town of Tongli, 50 miles west of Shanghai, now boasts China's only sex museum. The Chinese Sex Culture Museum contains an extensive range of privately collection Asian erotic art. Originally located in Shanghai, it was forced to move premises in 2003. Founder and Curator Liu Dalin is a professor of Sociology and is also known as the "Chinese Kinsey" after the publication of his book Sexual Behavior in Modern China in 1992. Fellow founder and co-director Hu Hongxia is trained in Chinese medicine. Liu's began his private collection of erotic artifacts while conducting research for one of his sex books. He soon realised that antique sexual items had enormous historical and cultural value, and started asking antique dealers if they had any "secret" items. Before long he had invested a large amount of his personal fortune in the collection. He took it overseas to the US and Australia before setting up the museum in Shanghai in 1995. Unfortunately he did not receive any support from the government and struggled to keep the museum afloat, despite having more than 100,000 visitors over 5 years. "None of them said it was bad. Not one. They all felt it was very respectful, and to be admired," Liu told MSNBC. "But some bureaucrats fear that the topic of sex is dangerous." In Shanghai Liu faced complaints from local officials who felt the Chinese character for "sex" was too ugly and wouldn't let him put up a sign. Modern China is still struggling to come to terms with its own sexuality, despite the fact that it has a long history of creating erotic artifacts. Liu is pleased with the new location. The local government has provided rent-free space in a 100-year-old building, complete with sculpture courtyard. "I won't expect many people would come to the museum at first," said one official. "Our first aim is to protect, research and exhibit Chinese culture." More than 1500 exhibits portray the history of Chinese sexual life over 9000 years. The museum is divided into four main areas: prehistoric times, women and marriage, sex in everyday life and unconventional sexual behaviour. Collection Highlights Clay vessel with representations of vulva from 3000BC, rock carvings from 1500 BC, erotic porcelain figures, brothel coins, 16th century paintings, Buddha in erotic embrace statue. Facts for the Visitor
Articles 6000 years of sex at Chinese museum - MSNBC Note: This museum has also been known as the Ancient Sex Museum and Zhonghua Xing Wenhua Bowuguan |
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