New study shows Chinese tolerance for homosexuality over thousands of years
The earliest mention Pan found was in chronicles from the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) where sex between men and youths was one of ten criminal acts that court officials could be punished for.
However in the following Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-256 BC) homosexuality appears to have become more acceptable, with a common proverb reading, ‘Good-looking males can distract emperors from the wisdom of old intellects.’
Pan found another story in the Spring and Autumn Annals of the State of Lu covering the years 722 BC – 481 BC called ‘The Pleasant Hug From Behind,’ in which a handsome man threatens to kill an official who admires him but is advised by a sage that it is wrong to kill someone who admires you.
Instead the man decided to let the official ‘hug him from behind.’
Pan found evidence that almost every emperor of China during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD) was believed to have had male lovers....
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/new-study-shows-chinese-tolerance-homosexuality-over-thousands-years060113
-------------------------------
An interesting read and more examples at the link.
= new reply since forum marked as read
