A Chinese pornographic novel from the 1600’s Explored
The Carnal Prayer Mat is a steamy and at times moralistic novel. It’s author Li Yu was a complex individual, living in a time of economic boom but also inflation of educated individuals. Did he resent his participation in the world of erotica? I think so, and the clue lies in his balance of eroticism with moralistic elements. Take for example the following poem,
“Though the Sea of Desire seems not so deep/ like Weakness Water, it cannot be crossed/ You may skim as light as a dragonfly’s flight/ but touch a wave and you’re surely lost.”
This poem is very profound and resonates with other such quotes in history aiming to deter lecherous behavior. This doesn’t mean the novel is not steamy, including such passages as, “He locked his arms securely around her waist and picked her up with her tongue still in his mouth and his jade whisk still in her vagina. Then, thrusting as he went, doing a Looking at the Flowers from Horseback routine, he walked her to the bed and deposited her across it.” The following essay will discuss certain aspects of the novel, in an effort to extract economic and social implications.
The Carnal Prayer Mat can reveal to us certain insights just by its very existence. The first being that China was enjoying printing technology that allowed for many books to be published, even the salacious ones. We can safely assume that there was some way in which pornographic novels could be bought with anonymity. Perhaps a secret stash in a larger book store, which would not be uncommon in an expanding city. Another inference we can make, and this is supported by the text, is that there had to be a monetized economy — which allows for quick and discreet transactions to occur. These are just some signs of commercialization that are characteristic of growing cities.
Delving into the text we find certain instances when it becomes apparent that economic change is leading to significant cultural change. After Vesperus had his penis enlargement operation, he runs into a Knave who says to him “Worthy brother, you haven’t been out in ages, just stayed quietly at home. You must have made a lot of progress in your examination studies” (CPM, 124). To which Vesperus replied “None at all, although I have made some progress in my study of bedroom techniques” (CPM, 124). Traditionally a young affluent man like Vesperus would be studying to become a scholar, but instead we find that he is driven by lascivious sexual desires. This can be attributed to the fact that due to the increasing population typical of commercialized cities, a market for sex is growing. This new market is probably very prominent because there is also an inflation of scholars. Li Yu in a form of self referential irony, is himself driven towards finding subsistence in the sex market because of the fact that there are too many scholars.
In the text we find mention of “get-rich-quick millionaires” (CPM, 125). This hints at economic change since the acknowledgement of there being many millionaires means that the economy is strong and that money is changing hands fast. Vesperus and the Knave go into the silk shop and the following interaction is insightful: “Is Master Quan at home? ‘No, he’s away buying silk’, she replied”(CPM, 127). The merchant is away on business, but he leaves his wife in charge of the shop. This implies social and economic change since the wife of the merchant is now occupying the role of shopkeeper and clearly the merchant cannot afford to close down his business until he returns because as Vesperus quips “Why drive away business to your competitors?” (CPM, 127).
The last paragraph touched on some of the social changes being brought about by a densely packed population in which merchants have to leave their wives in charge. Another social change that occurs because of this is that women are being brought into intimate contact with strange men, increasing the likelihood of infidelity. In the text, Vesperus takes advantage of this and “he took the chance to squeeze her hand, and she responded by scratching his hand with her fingernail” (CPM, 130). These types of subtle flirtations were not so easily achieved in rural towns, where a man wouldn’t have much reason to be speaking to the farmer’s wife. A cultural change that develops from this is that people are beginning to use double speak in order to facilitate their affairs. Vesperus speaks about the silk when he means the merchants wife, and after she catches on to his flirtations, she uses the silver ingots Vesperus uses to pay in order to also speak about his genitalia. “She replied, ‘I’m afraid it may look good on the outside but be worthless inside”(CPM, 130). And without ever speaking a word about an affair, Vesperus agrees to come back at night and test one out for her, and the clandestine meeting is arranged.
The biggest cultural change is exemplified by Li Yu himself. Pornographic novels were now being produced by educated men, because there was a market for them and they provided subsistence for those who couldn’t become scholars. This tug of war between traditional values and a commercial society in which sex sells is one of the main messages of the Carnal Prayer Mat. Commercialization and economic change led to changes in many aspects of society including cultural values, fidelity in marriage, the sex market, occupations, entertainment, and even speech.
