Why did masculinity prevail in Qing Dynasty? !

In the history of China, masculinity, as a special social phenomenon, prevailed in the imperial court and the people, especially in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This ethos was influenced by the turbulent social environment, the harsh political system of sexual imprisonment and the cultural background of advocating human freedom. Its prevalence not only destroyed feudal ethics, but also prospered same-sex literature. However, while people are full of rejection of same-sex love, they should also face up to the normality of this social phenomenon and explore a new formal way out for the century-old male style.

Keywords: China history; Male style

Masculinity refers to homosexuality or homosexual activities. Most people in modern society hold an exclusive attitude towards "masculinity", but the records of "masculinity" in China's history are endless in history books, which shows the prosperity of "masculinity" in ancient times and the ancient people's recognition attitude towards it. For example, during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, "Toy Boy was more prosperous than women" (1). In addition, many literati's poems also show people's attitudes and views on "masculinity" in the historical period at that time. For example, Ruan Ji praised "Anling" and "Longyang" in Poems 3;

Fanhuazi, Anling and Longyang in the past. Yao Lihua, burning with a blush. The moon is like nine springs, and the pan is like autumn frost. I look forward to charm, laughter and fragrance. Hand in hand waiting for love, stay in the clothes of the past month. I'd like to fly together, fly with me. Dan Qing vowed never to forget each other.

Throughout the history of China's "masculinity", according to whether there is same-sex love, it can be divided into two types:

First, love without love under power

This trend of lending often appears in the upper classes such as kings and nobles. They deprive others of their sexual choices and force handsome young men to play. Among them, Zheng De of Ming Wuzong is the most famous. Wu Zongxi is a handsome young child molester. His Toy Boy is numerous, and Toy Boy is searched everywhere. One is to choose a child molester from the eunuchs in the palace as a personal attendant, and of course, have sex with him:

"In the early years of Wu Zongchu, the handsome minister was chosen as a pet, and it was called' Laoerdang' ('Laoerdang' was synonymous with gay men at that time. Due to the prevalence of male chauvinism, there were many synonyms and nicknames for gay men at that time. When you are young, you will be old. " ②

Xu Chong's "Warm Beauty Pen" Volume III also said: "In the early days of Zheng De, the most favored minister was the old man, who was still waiting for his peers. However, he doesn't care about the young and the old, but he is honored. Visiting the old man recently should be done by a handsome young minister. What about Hongru and Jiru? "

Moreover, because the object of hooking up is not limited to the minister of the interior, she also collects information on child molestation in her activities of traveling abroad:

"Wu tsung-nan luckily, to duct home, there is a stone. Yue is white, ask what name, what name. He was named "sheep fat jade" and was ordered to go north. First of all, I went to Fu Xuan and the singers were very happy. Asked his name, the left and right with "white on the head" as the right, covered the music department of the governor's office and guarded the eunuch's confession, so he got this nickname. He smiled and said, "since my head is white, I wonder if my waist is white, too?" "When they were arrested, they castrated them. I ask this question because I care about the imperial edict or want to enter the palace. ③

Many minions, either for fame or wealth, or succumbed to power, only a few people rose up and resisted.

In 370 AD, the former Qin Dynasty in Fu Jian destroyed the former Yan Empire of Murong family in one fell swoop, and a pair of royal brothers and sisters of former Yan, fourteen-year-old qinghe princess and twelve-year-old Mu Rongchong, also fell into the hands of Fu Jian. Fu Jian is greedy for their beauty and loves this little brother and sister very much. At that time, there was a song in Chang' an city, "A woman and a man both flew into the Purple Palace." But is this female and male willing to be Fu Jian's sexual child? Finally, Mu Rongchong defected and Fu Jian was surrendered. Mu Rongchong used his anger to announce the fact that sex polluted by power brought people only humiliation and pain.

Second, appreciate each other's affectionate love.

In Yuan Dynasty, Lin Zaiqing's Miscellaneous Notes on Cheng Zhai recorded the events from acquaintance to love, brotherhood and even mutual destruction between Pan Zhang and Wang Zhongxian during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Later, a tree with branches and leaves embraced each other grew in the grave where they were buried together. It can be said that we still love each other after death, and we are sincere and sincere. This tree is also called "pillow tree".

Although the story is a little mysterious, we can still see the deep love between Pan Zhang and Wang Zhongxian. In addition, the stories of Emperor Ai of Han Dynasty and Dong Xian are also talked about by the world.

Dong Xian, also known as Sheng Qing and Yunyang, is beautiful and complacent. When he saw it, he said that his appearance was worshipped as Huang Menlang, so he was very lucky. Ask his father, and today he will be ordered by Baling to move Dr. Guanglu. Xian dotes on him day by day and serves as a captain of Xu. When going out, he took part in the bus and entered the palace. During the ten-day month, rewarding huge sums of money greatly shocked the court. I often lie with my bed. I tried to sleep during the day, but I tried to get up with my sleeves on. I want to get up, but the sage doesn't feel it. He who didn't want to move the sage broke his sleeve. ④

This shows the deep friendship between Ai Di and Dong Xian.

Confucius said in the Analects of Confucius: "The beauty without happiness is the beauty of Song, and this world is hard to dye!" Mozi also said, "My Lord, I don't know whether it is wise or not to take Shang Xian as the government and make a fortune for no reason and let him look good! The princes love their colors, so they can't cure hundreds of people and make them officials of thousands of people; If you can't cure a thousand people, you will be an official of ten thousand people. " This shows that "male chauvinism" is against etiquette. Then, in ancient China, a society full of feudal ethics, why did this same-sex love, which completely violated ethics, have such a great influence and even become a "wind" of its own?

Here we have to mention two representative historical periods: Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, where metaphysics prevailed, and Ming and Qing Dynasties, where sexual imprisonment was practiced.

I Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties

1, turbulent times

The formation of masculinity was closely related to the political turmoil, the warlord regime and the situation that the people were at a loss. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, there were wars and political darkness, and the ruling class had no time to pay attention to the education of ethics, which led to the relaxation of ethics and chaos in people's marriage and love. In this case, many people treat life with a decadent, dissolute and selfish attitude. "Romantic love is harmonious, only color is superior", or even "male or female", or consciously for ease. In addition, this period can be described as a paradise for literati. Scholars in the world were metaphysical, talkative, elegant and seeking freedom, forming a social atmosphere of bohemian and free human nature at that time.

There is an interesting record about the same-sex love between Yu Xin, a writer, and Xiao Shao, an imperial clan of Liang Dynasty:

"Shao used to be a child, he believed in love, he had the joy of brokeback, food and clothing, all believe. When meeting guests, Shao is also a letter after letter of wine. Then there is Yunzhou, and the letter goes west to Jiangling, passing through Jiangxia. Shao received a very thin letter, sitting under the green oil curtain, and Fuze entered the banquet, sitting on the letter bed, full of pride. The letter was a little unbearable. Because he was drunk, he went to Shao's bed, practiced cooking, looked Shao in the face and said,' Today the official description is different.' Shao was ashamed that the guests were full. "⑤

This message describes that at that time, due to Xiao Shao's neglect of himself, Yu Xin had contradictions and even abused each other. It can be seen that masculinity was not only prevalent at that time, but also its depth was not superficial, but like the love between men and women. When politeness is cold, resentment, even quarrels and conflicts will arise.

2. The prosperity of metaphysics

With the rise of metaphysics, people began to examine and criticize some moral values and world views in the past with rational eyes. Wang Bi, who is also a master of metaphysics, put forward the theory of "advocating the end of principal and interest", emphasizing natural inaction as the "foundation", teaching ceremony as the "end" and emphasizing human nature. Ji Kang clearly put forward the view that "the more famous a teacher is, the more natural it is". Under the strong influence of metaphysical theory, some intellectuals first accepted this concept and began to emphasize people's true feelings, naturalness and individuality. Based on this premise, the pursuit of sensuality is natural and justified. To some extent, this has got rid of the shackles of Confucian classics and fame and fortune in the past. The so-called food, color and sex are also human desires. Since we want to pursue nature and humanity, of course, it also includes sex. Therefore, we can say that celebrities in Wei and Jin dynasties pursued the liberation of humanity, thought and morality, and also the liberation of the body.

3. Unique aesthetics

Scholars in Wei and Jin dynasties cherished and missed life, attached importance to appearance and sought the beauty of life in painting.

Pan Yuechuan in the Book of Jin said, "Yue Mei has a beautiful figure and beautiful handwriting, which is especially sad. When I was young, I often jumped out of Luoyang Road with my arms in my arms, and everyone I met was entangled in my hands. I voted in favor and returned with a full load. " ⑥

This social atmosphere, which takes men's grooming and powder dressing as beauty, caused men in society to be too fat and tend to be feminine at that time. This phenomenon promotes the development of male same-sex love.

Second, the Ming and Qing Dynasties

1, the sexual imprisonment of extremes meet.

Zhao Zhi's Five Miscellanies in the Ming Dynasty elaborated the development of gay men as a historical tradition to the Ming Dynasty:

"The rise of masculinity, since Iraq's training wins the ring of urchins, shows that ancient times have passed. Anling Longyang, seen in Biography and Lucky Articles, is a historical book. When it comes to gold, it is full of prosperity. What the world says is what it is. Judge a person by his appearance and behave well. After the history called Xianning and Taikang, Toy Boy was more prosperous than women, and domestic scholars followed suit. As for the separation of husband and wife, there is resentment. In the Song Dynasty, Taoism rarely declined, but now it is a little more prosperous. Southeastern people are more important than northwest people. "

It can be seen that the male style was still very popular in the Ming Dynasty. However, as we all know, the Ming Dynasty continued to be influenced by Zhu Cheng Neo-Confucianism and feudal ethics, and imposed a very severe sexual imprisonment: after Emperor Xuanzong of Ming Dynasty, the court issued a decree to eliminate official prostitutes and strictly enforced this order. No matter officials and scholars, those who make a living from prostitution or have a little improper sexual behavior will be demoted or dismissed and will never be employed. However, it is this sexual imprisonment that promotes the development and prevalence of "male chauvinism". The original intention of Xuande's return to morality was not realized, but it was counterproductive. Because in feudal society, marriage is involuntary, parents' orders and matchmakers' words, the feelings between husband and wife are often weak. Engels said that prostitution and adultery are complementary to monogamy. Now the "supplementary" road of staying in prostitution is broken, so we have to vent between the same sex.

There is a following passage in Five Miscellanies:

"Clothes in the net, Longyang forbidden wide in narrow evil, scholars trapped in adon, the cost of cuffed killed in the head, Hedong roar. It's hard to rely on jade every time you end up in our Xuan Sang. This is why Toy Boy is thriving. "

In other words, compared with prostitutes, male chauvinism did not conflict with the law at that time and cost less. In addition, it is difficult for a man to ask, investigate and object to the blind date, and family conflicts will not be very sharp. As far as the imperial clan is concerned, same-sex love will not give birth to offspring, but will lead to blood disorder, which is necessary for Manchu rulers, because Manchu people attach importance to blood, especially the royal family. In order to maintain their Manchu royal lineage, the Manchu court banned Manchu-Chinese marriage. In this way, homosexuality becomes

A sexual relationship between Manchu and Han was acquiesced by the rulers, so the society relaxed the restrictions on same-sex love while strictly controlling heterosexual sex. In this way, masculinity is getting stronger and stronger.

2. Emancipate the mind

With the Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming (1472- 1528) as the representative, the school that advocated "mind is reason" gradually broke through the shackles of Song Confucianism of "preserving heaven and destroying human desires", and the idea of expanding natural lust began to sprout. Wang Yangming advocated personal expression and personality development, and his followers later developed this philosophy. They put forward that desire and emotion are human nature, repression makes people do nothing, and people should express and release their desires from their hearts and nature. Of course, the gay atmosphere in the court will have a certain social influence, but what really makes masculinity prevail is the change of the whole social concept and sexual orientation, especially the active participation of scholars and officials. In ancient China, literati were the leaders of social trends, and their tastes and tendencies were sometimes more appealing than imperial edicts. Except those Taoists who pretend to be orthodox, scholars in Ming and Qing dynasties usually not only do not exclude or condemn homosexuality, but often talk about homosexuality as an affair and advocate it.

This moral openness led to the unprecedented prosperity of homosexuality in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In A Dream of Red Mansions, the pinnacle of China literature, Cao Xueqin described the relationship between Baoyu and Qin Zhong, and between Baoyu and Jiang Yuhan. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty, there were a lot of homosexual stories in Woods Language by Yuan Mei, a scholar, and there was also a homosexual love between Yuan Mei himself and Guo Chun, a scholar, in Martial Arts. Zheng Banqiao, a famous poet and painter, once said, "I am a lecherous, and I especially like Yu Tao's glib tongue and pepper wind." All landowners is to admit that he is also a male. A number of works devoted to homosexual love appeared in the homosexual literature in Qing Dynasty, such as Strange Thoughts of Spring, Yang Long's History, and A Treasure of Flowers, which undoubtedly reflected the unprecedented prosperity of masculinity at that time.

Although masculinity flourished in ancient China, it has always been centered on infatuation with young masculinity in the history of China, which is characterized by hedonism and fleeting. It prevailed for a hundred years, but it never formed a social force, or did not form a family model or marriage mechanism dominated by same-sex marriage, which directly led to the decline of masculinity after the late Qing Dynasty.

Judging from the development of civilization, China's suppression of same-sex love is a part of the century-long tragedy of the Chinese nation. In feudal society, homosexuals often became victims of social movements. The prosperity of masculinity has attracted the attention of the rulers, making it a "social problem" in itself. In contrast, the Spartan gay legion in ancient Greece made outstanding achievements in defending the country. In this environment, homosexuality has been treated leniently and even praised by society, which is justified. Unfortunately, the Reform Movement of 1898, which came late under the roar of foreign guns, was stillborn, which made the marriage law proposed by Kang Youwei at that time (including the legalization of same-sex marriage) unable to be implemented in China. The May 4th Movement advocated learning from the West, but unfortunately, the love for homosexuality was generally regarded as morbid in the West at that time. However, the research on the normality and health of homosexuality and the subsequent rehabilitation policies in 1950s were not absorbed in time due to the interruption of academic exchanges, and the "out-of-context" research made homosexuality still be classified as morbid in China. Now, the 30th anniversary of the reform and opening up has passed, and some people in China have gradually re-recognized the normality of homosexuality in order to retaliate against same-sex love. More and more people begin to know and understand homosexuality, and society gradually begins to accept homosexuality. I think, as a new generation of the country and the future of the country, it is also necessary for us to face up to the same-sex love and learn from history. While pursuing heterosexual love, we are also helping these groups who have been discriminated against for a long time to explore a long-term healthy and stable life.

⑥ Books of Golden China Book Company, 1974. All landowners "autobiography of Zheng Banqiao"

(1) The Book of Jin (Volume 29) Under the Five Elements, page 908, Zhonghua Book Company, 1987.

② Wan Bu Bian (Raul Edition), p. 820, Zhonghua Book Company, 1959.

(3) Addendum Volume 3, The Singer of Zheng De and Gore, page 89 1, Zhonghua Book Company, 1959.

(4) "Hanshu" Volume 93 "Dong Xianchuan"

⑤ Biography of the Southern History of King Xuanwu in Changsha, li yanshou, Zhonghua Book Company, 1975.