Sex and Desire in China - Essay Example

Sex and Desire in China: A comparison Mao Zedong (1893-1976) was the ruler of the Republic of China since 1945 till his death in 1976. Mao was a Marxist political philosopher who was the leader of Chinese Revolution. Being a communist, various principles had influence on the relationship between man and woman. His attitudes and behavior towards the women in the society significantly affected sexual attitudes and behavior of the men in the society. Today, China is undergoing various changes in their cultural, economic and social dimensions that have significantly influenced the sexual relationship between men and women (Sheridan 44). China is undergoing a complex evolution process in which modernization is significantly affecting the way the Chinese community interacts sexually. The rapid change in the economy and culture has altered the sexual relationships and desires in the society. This paper will critically analyze the changes on sex and desire during the reign of Mao Zedong and the contemporary society. Today, China has undergone various changes on their views on extramarital affairs. Adultery and behaviors associated with adultery were termed as byproducts of capitalism. However, adultery was only recognized as an offense when it was practiced by the woman (Sheridan 15). Mao Zedong was married to many wives; yet he routinely abused young girls from the peasant family. However, he recommended for severe punishment for any person who was caught practicing adultery. In the contemporary society, the globalization of the economy has led to the post-revolution sex liberation where the moral value of sexual relationship has been eroded. This means that the society has confusedly encoded the morals of sex and desires into the rapidly changing social and market economies of the country. Mao Zedong is known to have advocated for the rights of women in the Chinese society. However, he is known to have sexually abused many peasant girls during his rule (Bullough 34). According to his physician, Li Zhisui, Mao is known to have infected many peasant girls with various venereal diseases. Mao’s sexual desires were insatiable, and he is said to have sexually abused many young girls despite his polygamous marriage. This significantly promoted sexual immorality in the society. The men in the Chinese society sexually abuse the young girls in the society. However, today women have their rights in various issues including sexual matters. The contemporary society advocates for sexual satisfaction among the women. Furthermore, the law provides for the punishment of the sex offenders in the society. During the Imperial era, the woman was expected to be submissive and obedient to their fathers, elder brothers, husband and sons following the husband’s death. During Mao’s communist era, there was liberation and revolution of the role of the woman in the society (Bullough 12). In 1950, the Marriage Law was enacted by the People’s Republic of China (RPC). However, the law was not followed, and the role of women during this time was similar to that of the traditional Chinese society. Mao’s behavior and attitude towards women also contributed to the failure of this law. In the contemporary society, the society recognizes equal rights for both sexes. In addition, the law protects the interest of the woman in the society. During the time of Mao Zedong, same sex relationships were abolished and discouraged in the society. Mao, a communist who advocated for Marxist principle, termed homosexuality as products capitalism (Ruan 30). Homosexuals and lesbians were excommunicated from the communalist community due to their sexual preferences. In 1997, homosexuality was accepted in the society. In addition, since 2002 it is no longer recognized as a mental disorder. In the Chinese government, various officials, for example, Li Yinhe, is a supporter of the lesbian, transgender, gay and bisexual people in the society (Evans 56). Since 2003, the modern day Chinese government has proposed various bills in support of same-sex marriages although none of the bills has successfully been enacted as law. Autoerotic behaviors and patterns, for example, self-pleasuring, were associated with sexual dysfunction, neuroses and other severe diseases in the traditional communism society (Evans 10). During the era of Mao, the practice of such behavior was condemned in the society. Today, the society does not advocate for the practice of masturbation. It is greatly discouraged by the sex researchers as well as sex educators. However, many young people, both married and single, practice masturbation. Economic globalization has facilitated the migration of people into China. This has significantly led to the Westernization of the Chinese culture and society. Various studies carried out in China have reported that masturbation is practiced by many young people in the Chinese population. This has been demonstrated in both men and women, in society. The role of sex in the contemporary society has significantly evolved since the Mao era and the Post-Mao era. This is because sex has been influenced by changes in the society and culture. In the contemporary society, sex has been used to obtain power and money (Ruan 29). The changes in the society have been attributed to changes in behavioral patterns due to the changing economic and social trends. Currently, a majority of the population are single; having sexual relationships before marriage (Ruan 17). These relationships are not necessarily based on love but rather on mutual agreement. Sex liberalization in the contemporary society has encouraged the practice of sex in relationships with no intent of marriage or union. During Mao’s rule, there were no measures in place to offer sex education in the general curriculum. People were not properly educated on matters regarding sex and desire. There were no policies in place to cater for this pertinent issue during Mao’s governance. It was not until after Mao that there was an introduction of such a policy. This happened during the 1980’s (Ruan 37). Model programs were developed; even then, the discussion was limited to the necessity to limit population growth. During Mao’s time, only few publications encompassed sex education. After his governance, sex education was introduced. It covered topics such as sexual dysfunction, matters to with marriage and love. During the 1980s, Cultural Revolution came to a halt. This prompted a few publishers and authors to begin the production of literatures on the subject. After the Cultural Revolution, the people’s Medical Publishing Limited published a premier edition in the field of sex and desire. This was known as Knowledge of sex (Zhang & Sang 142). More than 2.5 million copies were sold. Some Chinese resold their copies at double the initial price. Lack of sex education on this topic led to the rapid increase in the Chinese population during Mao’s era. Following the death of Mao, sex education programs were modeled to educate the society on sex. In 1980, the discussion was limited to contraception and limitation of the population in China. Sex education was also introduced in schools at the high school level. In the modern Chinese society, sex is openly discussed both in school and at homes. The media has also played a significant role in educating the Chinese society on sex issues. After Mao’s tenure, there was increasing pressure for local and national officials to recognize the necessity of sex education program. This pressure was attributed to the population growth. In addition, rates of juvenile sex crime, teenage pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) were increasing. This prompted the government to come up with ways of integrating sex education into the curriculum. Improved sex education was expected to have an impact, in terms of treating sexual dysfunction. The contemporary Chinese express their desire to improve sexual lives, influenced by Western Culture. In Mao’s time, there was no influence on western culture on sex and desire. However, in 1989, the government instituted sexual restrictions. This was similar to Mao’s tenure. However, the increasing STD cases, population and teenage pregnancy prompted the reintroduction of Sex Education. In children and adolescents, sex rehearsal play and sexual play are punished when discovered. Even in times of Mao, such behavior was not tolerated. Compared to the past, it is now acceptable for lovers to kiss and hug even in public. During times of Mao, there were tight restrictions on offence against public decency. There are notices and billboards that serve to remind on this past regime. However, law enforcers are more tolerant to such behavior (Zhang 132). Mao encouraged marriages: he practiced polygamy. However, years after his regime, China’s unmarried population is increasing at a steady rate. In the past, no Chinese would have wanted to remain single. Nowadays, to remain single is a personal right. The rights of the unmarried are also respected. In the olden times, it would never have been imagined that females would allow to be petted in public. In times of Mao, cohabitation was not tolerated. Anyone caught in the act risked being arrested. Nowadays, nonmarital cohabitation has been on the increase due to Western influence on the young generation. Divorce rate has been on the increase compared to the period during Mao regime. The increased divorce rate can be attributed to the receding interference on personal lives by the government. It is worth noting that 70% of the divorces are initiated by the woman, most often due to extra marital affair on the husband’s part (Wen 32). Divorce is now viewed as an acceptable option to an unhappy matrimony. Many officials now accept that divorce has a positive side. In Mao’s time, transsexualism was not tolerated. After his regime, incidences of gender conflicted persons were reported. The first transsexual surgery was done in 1983. It is almost impossible to be permitted to undergo transsexual surgery. In the past, such behavior was not tolerated (Ruan 29). When the Chinese Communist seized power, the first social changes that they sought to address were prostitution. Under Mao, they sought to eradicate the scourge that had afflicted the nation for a long time. A month after the army took control over Beijing, the novel municipal government declared a policy of controlling and limiting brothels. In October 1949, over 2,000 police raided 224 brothels and arrested 1300 prostitutes and 420 business owners, pimps and procurers. Other cities also followed suit. In Shanghai, there were over 5,000 prostitutes who were arrested. Over the following years, the legislature devised severe punishment for the perpetrators of prostitution. Despite this severe repression, prostitution began escalating in 1970. After Mao declared China a republic, he imposed a strict ban on pornography and erotic picture of any kind. In the whole of China, almost nil erotic material was found. Few difficulties were encountered by Mao’s regime in implementing policy against this vice. After Mao’s regime, there was increased openness towards the outside world. There was also increasing availability of pornographic materials. This saw a rise in underground circulation of pornographic materials. In early 1980s, pornographic videotapes and X-rated films were being smuggled into China from nearby countries. Initially, it was expensive to watch such films. Only a few could afford. However, things became cheaper, and it was easy to access such films. A new anti-pornographic regulation was promulgated in 1985. There was a nationwide porn crackdown, leading to numerous arrests. Population control efforts have had an impact on sex and desire. The population policy of China entails improving the quality of the populous, and limiting and decreasing the quantity of population. During the 1960s, Chinese women gave birth approximately 5.68 times. However, this dropped after the introduction of population control policies. In the 1980s, this figure dropped to 2.47 (Pan 12). After Mao regime, policies were introduced that resulted in the use of birth control methods such as contraception. After Mao regime, China’s government would later introduce a “one-Child policy”. In this policy, the parents are punished when they get more than one child. This has further led to adoption of contraceptive methods and adjustment of sexual behavior so as to avoid punishment. In Mao’s time, such restrictions were not as severe. Mao himself had many children with different wives. The one-child policy has led to an imbalance in number of male and female infants born. Many parents used the ultrasound to confirm the gender; when it was female, the child was aborted. This means that the number of male children has surpassed the female by a significant margin. This means that women are in less. The women use this to their advantage in choosing the standards of their husbands. The girl child can also not be treated as chattel. This is due to scarcity of the female species (Evans 13). Conclusion Currently, China is undergoing rapid growth in the economy owing to the invention of new technology in the modern times. This has significantly contributed to alteration of the Chinese culture and society. Mao Zedong is famous for the revolution of china by the introduction of communism principles in the Chinese society. Mao’s legacy is characterized with changes in the economic, social and political dimensions in China. This has marked influence on sex and desires of the Chinese people. Since then, there has been continued alteration on the relationship between men and women. Economic and cultural changes in the modern society have been woven in the sexual relationships between two individuals. Works Cited Bullough, Von. Sexual Variance in Society and History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006. Print. Evans, Harriet. Women and Sexuality in China: 1949 to the Present. New York: Continuum, 1997. Print. Pan, Suiming. 1994. “A Sex Revolution in Current China.” Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality (U.S.A.),6.2 (1994):1-14. Print. Ruan, Fang-fu, and Chong, K. “Gay Life in China.” The Advocate, 470 (1987):28-31. Ruan, Fang-fu. Sex in China: Studies in Sexology in Chinese Culture. New York: Plenum Press, 1991. Print. Sheridan, Salaff. Chinese Working Women. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1984. Print. Wen, Zeng. 1990. Sex and Moral Education. Hong Kong: Joint Publishing, 1990. Print. Zhang, Xinxin, and Sang Ye. Chinese Lives: An Oral History of Contemporary China. New York: Pantheon Books, 1986. Print. Read More