Il tappeto da preghiera di carne

by Li Yu, Anna Maria Greimel (translator)

In the 300 years since its initial publication, Li Yu's book has been widely read in China, where it is recognized as a benchmark of erotic literature and currently enjoys the distinction of being a banned-in-Beijing classic.

Genres: China, Erotica, Fiction, Classics, Literature, 17th Century, Sexuality

373 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1634

About the author

Li Yu (Chinese: 李漁; pinyin: Lǐ Yú, given name: 仙侣 Xiānlǚ; style name: 笠翁 Lìwēng) (1610—1680 AD), also known as Li Liweng was a Chinese playwright, novelist and publisher. Born in Rugao, in present day Jiangsu province, he lived in the late-Ming and early-Qing dynasties. Although he passed the first stage of the imperial examination, he did not succeed in passing the higher levels before the political turmoil of the new dynasty, but instead turned to writing for the market. Li was an actor, producer, and director as well as a playwright, who traveled with his own troupe. His biographers call him a "writer-entrepreneur" and the “most versatile and enterprising writer of his time”.

Li is the presumed author of Ròu pútuán (肉蒲團, The Carnal Prayer Mat), a well-crafted comedy and a classic of Chinese erotic literature. He also wrote a book of short stories called Shí'èr lóu (十二樓, "Twelve Towers"). In his time he was widely read, and appreciated for his daringly innovative subject matter. He addresses the topic of same-sex love in the tale Cuìyǎ lóu (萃雅樓, "House of Gathered Refinements"). This is a theme which he revisits in the collection Wúshēng xì (無聲戲, "Silent Operas" i.e. "novels") and his play The Fragrant Companion. The painting manual Jieziyuan Huazhuan was prefaced and published by Li in Jinling.

Li was also known for his informal essays, or xiaopin (小品), and for his gastronomy and gastronomical writings. Lin Yutang championed Li and translated a number of these essays. Li's whimsical, ironic "On Having a Stomach" proposes that the mouth and the stomach "cause all the worry and trouble of mankind throughout the ages." He continues that the "plants can live without a mouth and a stomach, and the rocks and the soil have their being without any nourishment. Why, then, must we be given a mouth and a stomach and endowed with these two extra organs?" Lin also translated Li's "How to be Happy Though Rich" and "How to be Happy Though Poor", and "The Arts of Sleeping, Walking, Sitting and Standing", which illustrate his satirical approach to serious topics

Reviews

[Jan-Maat]

Timeless lessons to be learnt from this seventeenth century chinese erotic novel operating within a Buddhist framework featuring a scholar whose desire for a more fabulous sex life leads him to have a dog's penis spliced into his own, numerous women of various social classes, aggrieved husbands, angry fathers and a travelling penis enlargement specialist include:-

*Those who abandon their spouse and bound like the Hare for the capital in search of sexual adventure invariably find that Tortoise like their own spouse is already the chief erotic attraction there.

*The search for revenge is not only self-destructive but can also feature tedium and hard work. Forgiveness and compassion is much less inconvenient all round.

*Having a Dog's penis spliced into your own is neither a pit stop on the Noble Eightfold Path nor on the Middle Way. And it really ruins the Dog's day.

*The man whose lover is determined to share him with her cousins should be mindful.

*Don't trick your Aunt into partaking in sex acts that she really doesn't enjoy. That's not ethical conduct.

*Self castration is a consequence of some of the foregoing, but only ever at the end of the novel and then only to make a narrative point.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Patrick Hanan Translation of Li Yu's The Carnal Prayer Mat is as much a case study in period Chinese entertainment as it is any kind of entertainment. The content and language is adult. Explicit references tend to be in a more poetic style than is typical in European erotica. For example, the male and female body parts tend to be engaged under the terms the yin rising up to the yang. As such the most intense orgiastic scenes tend to have a less harsh effect on the reader. Over all I found The Carnal Prayer Mat to be a fascinating study in a particular style of Chinese non-classical writing but an equally fascinating contrast with almost anything of its like from the western world.
Not being anything of a scholar of anything Chinese I can only say of the translation, that it was clear and easy to read. Hanan may have toned things down or given preference to scholarly language over whatever crudities Li Yu employed, but you will never doubt about what you are reading. It is elsewhere noted that the original was written in a very remote and hard to modernize language. The original dates to the 1700’s or about the time of Fanny Hill. One can imagine many graduate papers written contrasting the two.

The contrasts are more than interesting.

The central plot involves a major ‘player’ whose status is derived from the fact that he is an advanced student. China had a very evolved bureaucratic system of government. Initial placement and advancement were heavily decided by how well an applicant did on various examinations. The exams were almost entirely based on Confusion thinking. Possession of a high government job meant stable and large income. Something very few professions could promise.

Our hero, if such he may be called is just such a student. He has not yet passed the exam that would produce one of these jobs, but he has progressed to the point that he can gain entry into at least middle-class society on no more bases that his status as an advanced student. This heavy reliance on Confusion thought will be part of Li Yu’s narrative and footnotes will help to explain the significance of these passages.

To say that he gains entry is a double entendre. Most of the 300+ pages has him performing lots of entry. Mostly but not exclusively with females. Evidently people, male or female could take their pleasure where they could find a shared interest. No particular stigma about the particular genitals in contact. Also atypical is that sexual jealousy seemed to be a mater of some subtilty. Jealous lovers and spouses existed. Husbands are extremely active to avoid, or punish cuckoldry. But there is an underworld of cooperation. A suiter, male or female could be made to audition, or practice or be tricked into the bed of another before the intended lovers are abed.

The caution to the reader is that this was a period wherein a man could have both wives, plural and concubines. But taking Li Yu at face value is to miss the fact that he was also being subversive. His Carnal Prayer Mat is not a historical document but can be read as social satire, a deliberate comedy or an effort to appeal to fantasy over the mundane reality. If you are here for more than the entertainment, read carefully and be prepared to be mis-directed.

Not typical in European erotica, of the 1700s or since is a lot of discussion of the importance of and details about attending to the sexual satisfaction of the female. Men are judged by their stroke count. That count tending to be from a few to many thousands. The ladies will speak directly with each other about who is better and make their preferences clear to a lover. Overall there is a remarkable lack of restraint on a variety of matters sexual. Penis size counts, as does the ladies relative willingness to be active. Virginity is discounted as a thing to be preferred over experience. Side note: There is a rather modern anticipation of turning to surgical techniques to enhance male size. There is a case made for the curvier female as one who has better strength to bare the weight of her lover and as have being in general more desirable than a thin weak woman. Again, one has to be careful as the author may be making fun rather than speaking to common prejudice.

Li Yu also had to deal with censors. It is likely that this translation is an instance of working form the best copy available rather than the original. As a sop to these censors, every chapter ends with something between a commercial and an appeal for the presumptive morality of an immoral book. It is not clear if these additions are original to Li YU. The translator’s introduction suggests that some are and some are not. They can be amusing, or intrusive.

There are several ways to read the Carnal Prayer Mat. Comedy, social satire, subversive or erotica from a very different culture. All variations have their legitimacy and all their entertainment or educational value. For me it was a fun enlightenment.

[Sara XuHerondale · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars
It took me an entire day to speedrun this finally, and in the end I was as spent as the main character after spending 3+ months having orgies. Honestly I was seriously thinking about giving this 3 solid stars, since it was surprisingly really easy to get through, I truly wasn't bored. The thing that made me lower the rating a tiny bit was the ending. I knew what to expect, but that special buddhist/confucianist dose of seeing women as a stepping stone for these aMaZiNg mEn really did it for me. I even overlooked the fact that the main character used what he used to enlarge his manhood, but that sprinkle of women sacrificing themselves to wash away these terrible men's sins was just too much for me (I'm not surprised in the least, I know the circumstances and history etc, but it still doesn't mean I liked it lol). My last straw was definitely the way MC's twin daughters were just presented as his sins and nothing else, being killed off because they "served their purpose for the MC to show his true repentance and whatever" made me wanna burn the book. ANYWAYS. besides the ending I liked the book, I quite enjoyed the long list of synonyms for sexual organs, special shoutout to homegirl Borjanka who translated this book. The plot was quite engaging, and I did like the full circle moment when everything came to full circle. That's all I am able to say rn, my head is too heavy, and my eyes are closing on my own, have a nice sleep folks.

[Rowland Pasaribu · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the great classics of Chinese erotica, The Carnal Prayer Mat certainly gets pretty raunchy in places. It stands out not for this, however, but for its brilliant comedy and satire; it could be read as a sparklingly witty light novel even by those without an interest in erotica.

Li Yu begins with a chapter explaining that he's actually arguing puritan values, "making use of lechery in putting a stop to lechery"... He then introduces the Zen priest Lone Peak, who doesn't ask for alms, explicate the scriptures, or live on a mountain — and who fails to deter our hero, the Scholar Vesperus, from a life of lechery.

The Carnal Prayer Mat goes on to describe Vesperus' exploits. He marries, debauches his innocent wife, and then sets off seeking amorous adventure, leaving her in the care of his stern father-in-law. He befriends the Knave, an honorable thief, who agrees to help him find and seduce the most beautiful women. But first he has to remedy a serious deficiency, finding an adept to help him with a penis enlargement...

That problem solved, Vesperus devotes himself to six far from unwilling women. But it is his relationships with them, their relationships with one another and the social setting which provide most of the entertainment, not the raw sex.

There has to be retribution to preserve the moral balance, but in Li Yu's perverse vision this turns out to involve further debauchery. Vesperus eventually returns to Lone Pine, where Li Yu wraps up his novel with an appropriate conclusion — well, one that is appropriate given that, as he says: "This truly is a book that mocks everything!"

Li Yu includes brief authorial comments at the end of some chapters, in which he praises himself immodestly, prods fun at his critics, and otherwise entertains himself and us. Patrick Hanan offers a ten page introduction and unobtrusive footnotes which explain the literary references — mostly used for parody — and a few untranslatable puns, but The Carnal Prayer Mat really doesn't need explanation. "Hmmmm..."

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best 17th century Chinese erotic novel I've ever read.

[شمس · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only the entire reading public would buy this book and treat it as a classic or as a history rather than as fiction! Its addresses to the reader are all either admonitory or hortatory, and close attention should be paid to their underlying purpose. Its descriptions of copulation, of the pleasures of the bedchamber, do indeed come close to indecency, but they are all designed to lure people into reading on until they reach the denouement, at which point they will understand the meaning of retribution and take heed. Without these passages the book would be nothing but an olive that, for all its aftertaste, would be too sour for anyone to chew and hence useless. My passages of sexual description should be looked upon as the date wrapped around the olive that induces people to keep on eating until they reach the aftertaste. But please pardon the tedium of this opening; the story proper will begin in the next chapter.
__________
In effect one penis has been turned into dozens of penises . . . With her hand over her mouth, she dissolved into giggles.
__________
From then on they met every day and slept together every night, and their love was deeper than that of husband and wife.
__________
Obviously there is no man who is unfit to become a buddha. It is only because we are so controlled by money and sex that we cannot avoid the path of error and reach salvation’s shore. That is the reason why Heaven is so sparsely populated and Hell so densely crowded . . .

__________

How can you be so ignorant not to have read such a good book?

If you liked Fanny Hill, you'll like this. I'll summarise it with a quote that appears on the back cover:

"What separates Li Yu's novel from [Fanny Hill or Justine], however, is its humour: it is one of the funniest books ever written." —New Yorker

This 17th Century story takes place over 20 chapters, each one starting with a two-line poetical summary, followed by short poem, and ending with a half-page "Critique" of the events that occurred.

Not only hot and humorous, but, as can be seen from some of the quotes below, there are many moral points, lessons, and allusions (moral, historical, and literary) woven into the story.

If the promises of getting your blood racing and laughing out loud hasn't convinced you to pick this up, this will: this book contains one of the most hilarious, absurd, laugh-out-loud plots you'll ever encounter, wholly deserving of the five star rating itself.

Patrick Hanan's translation is highly recommended. Clear, modern, and easy to read.

“This is not sex we’re having tonight”, said Vesperus. “This is a farewell.”
“A farewell? Surely you couldn’t bear to part with us?”
“Who said anything about selling you? Perhaps the word farewell needs some clarification: I’m not the one saying farewell, it’s my penis that’s saying farewell to your buttocks.”
“But why?”

__________
When people inquired as to why he didn't ask for alms, he would reply, "In general one must approach Buddhism through self-denial, striving to wear oneself out physically and stinting on one's food in order to make starvation and cold an ever-increasing threat. Once that is achieved, lustful thoughts will not arise, and if they do not arise, impurity will gradually give way to purity, and in the fullness of time one will naturally become a buddha. It is not necessary to recite scriptures or chant mantras. If, on the other hand, you choose neither to plow your own fields nor to weave your own cloth but rely instead on benefactors for your food and clothing, once you're well fed and warmly clad, you'll want to stroll about at your ease and sleep in a soft bed. As you stroll about, your eyes will light on objects of desire, and while you're sleeping in your soft bed, you'll have dreams and fantasies. Not only will you be unable to study Buddhism with any success, all kinds of damning temptation will come unbidden to your door. That is why I live off the fruits of my own labor and abstain from asking for alms.”

All attempts at popular explication are like the ramblings of an idiot, with each layer of exegesis merely adding another layer of distortion.

Eyes of this type are what are commonly known as lustful eyes . . . but if they meet a woman with lustful eyes, one who shares their own weakness, then winks will pass back and forth, a whole love letter will be exchanged through their eyes, and they’ll be inextricably involved. That is why, for both men and women, it is by no means a blessing to be born with such eyes, for they lead only to the loss of honour and reputation. If your honourable eyes are of this kind, gentle reader, you must exercise the greatest care.

If you want to be a truly great writer, you have no choice but to read every rare and remarkable book in existence, make the acquaintance of all the exceptional men of the age, and visit every famous mountain. Only after that should you withdraw into your study and set down your thoughts for posterity.

Have you ever heard the saying, “The whispering of men on Earth echoes in Heaven like a roll of thunder?”

You’ve given a very thorough exposition, master. The trouble is that, when expounding the doctrine to ignorant people, you have to put things dramatically enough to make their flesh creep if you want them to heed your warnings.

He owns lots of property, but holds himself quite aloof—never had a single friend in his whole life. He just sits at home immersed in his studies and won’t open his door to visitors, no matter who they are.

“It’s ten times more enjoyable in the daytime, and the wonderful thing is that it’s precisely when we’re looking at each other that we get really excited. There are only two kinds of couples who ought never to perform in the daytime; but apart from them everyone should.”
“Which are they?”
“An ugly husband married to beautiful wife and an ugly wife married to a handsome husband.”

No, no, I already have a wife. But how can a man be expected to depend on just one woman for company for all his life? After all, he needs a few women besides his wife just for the change of scenery! To be quite candid, brother, I have an exceptionally amorous nature. Wealth and honour are within my grasp, but they don’t interest me at all. This is the one thing that matters. The journey I’m on is nominally to advance my studies but actually to look for women.

I’ve not met a single natural beauty, one who didn’t need to adorn herself.

“But this raises another question in my mind: when you see such beautiful women, with such well-developed vulvas, what happens if your excitement gets too much for you and you can’t control yourself?”
“When I first saw such sights as a young man, I couldn’t control myself and would often sit there in the darkness and shoot my handgun at the woman, making believe I was doing it with her. Later, as I saw more of them, they came to mean less and less. Gradually a vulva came to resemble some kitchen utensil and aroused about as much feeling in me. Only when I saw a woman doing it with her husband and heard the moans coming from their mouths and the pumping sound from down below did I get a little excited.”

If you’re not too bored with such trivialities, the Knave went on, let me tell you one or two of the things I’ve seen and heard, so you’ll appreciate that, although I may be a thief, I am also a spy in the camp of love an a chronicler of women’s ways, not some dumb know-nothing who can’t even write the word love.”
“Splendid! If you’ll do that, one night of talk with you will be worth more than ten years of study.”

“Fine. Well, then, which are more common, the women who like it or the ones who don’t?”
“Oh, the women who like it, of course. Still, there are those who don’t. In general, out of every hundred women you’ll find only one or two who don’t like it. But even among those who do, there’re two kinds: those who like doing it and say so, and those who try to give the impression they don’t like it even though they do.

But women have three kinds of cries, which sound very different even when expressed in the same words . . . when they start, the women aren’t feeling any pleasure and have no desire to cry out. They’re just putting on an act to get their husbands excited. You can tell that from the sound they make; in general, although they cry out, they don’t move at all and their words are distinct rather than garbled. When they begin to feel pleasure, not only are their minds and mouths full of sensuality, every part of their bodies is starting to feel the same way. The cries are audible, but the words come out incoherent and disjointed. When their pleasure reaches its climax, their energies flag, their arms and legs go limp, and they don't utter any cries. Even if they wanted to. Now the sound comes from their throats rather than their mouths and is barely audible.

At this point Vesperus heard in his imagination the most wanton of women uttering her cries of passion in his ear, and his body began to tingle all over . . .

Why did she do that? Because she had an instinctive dislike of silent sex, much like Vesperus, and, of the things she most enjoyed, her deepest pleasure came from the sound of sexual activity. In general the more the fluid the greater the sound, and that was why, even if she was streaming with fluid until her body was drenched, she would never let her husband wipe it up.

At these endearing words Vesperus clasped her in a tight embrace and wish he could have forced his whole body inside her.

The formula for taking a lover is composed of two terms, adultery and elopement, which are inseparable. If you’re going to commit adultery, you have to elope. If you think you’ll never be able to elope, you’d do far better to remain faithful to your husband and so escape retribution for your sins! Why barter away your honour and even your life for a moment of joy?

The breeze wafts a rare fragrance from her, as if she were steeped in the scent of flowers.

What a monstrous injustice! Not a shred of evidence, and yet you’re full of suspicion!

Vesperus did as she asked; he dismounted, lay beside her, and took her in his arms. As he lay there, he was conscious of a strange scent emanating from the bed, the same scent he had noticed on first meeting her.
“Dearest,” he asked, “what is this exotic scent you perfume your clothes with? It’s so delightful.”
"I don't use any scent. When did you notice it?"
"That day we met, when you walked past me. And I noticed it again just now, while lying beside you. If you don't perfume your clothes, where does it come from?"
"It's nothing exotic, just a scent that comes from inside.
You're quite wrong about it."
"I don't believe that any scent from inside you could have such a nice bouquet to it. If so, your body must be a treasure too."
"It's the one real asset I have, something that no other woman possesses. I'm told that at my birth, just before I appeared, a rosy cloud wafted into the room and everyone noticed an exotic scent. Then, when I came along, the cloud dispersed but not the scent, which was often found issuing from me. It was on the strength of this that I was given the name Cloud of Scent. If I sit quietly, the scent is barely perceptible, but if I exert myself and start sweating, it comes from my pores. When that happens, not only are others aware of it, I can sense it myself. Since I have this asset, I don't like to conceal it either. That day in the temple when we met, you looked so terribly handsome that I lingered a while and made eyes at you and left you my fan as a token. I was hoping you would come and seek me out so that I could offer you this scent for your appreciation, but to my great disappointment you never came. Only now do I get my wish."
Vesperus sniffed her body carefully all over and found that each pore gave off a wisp of scent, which convinced him that the most beautiful women are not to be chosen solely on the basis of their visual appeal, just as heroes are not to be judged solely by their physique. Clasping her in a tight embrace, he called her dearest several dozen times, until Cloud broke in:
"Have you smelt me all over?"
"Yes."
"I'm afraid there's one place you've missed."
"No, I didn't miss anywhere."
"Yes, you did. You missed one place, where the scent differs from everywhere else. I might as well offer that for your appreciation too."
"Where is it?"
Cloud took one of his fingers in her hand and touched her vulva with it. "The smell in here is different again," she said.
"If it's not asking too much, why not sniff it and see?"
Vesperus crouched down and gave several deep sniffs
before scrambling up again.
"What a treasure! There's nothing more to be said, I shall love you forever!" With that, he crouched down again, parted that supreme treasure, and began licking it.
"Don't do that! It's too much! It'll be the death of me!"
As she spoke, she tried to pull him up, but the harder she pulled the more furiously he licked. Using his three-inch tongue like a penis, he went back and forth, thrusting and withdrawing as in real copulation. When he sensed her fluid coming, he drew it into his mouth, gulping it down without losing a drop, after which he kept on until she spent, when he even swallowed her essence. Only then did he get up and lie on top of her again.
Cloud hugged him tightly. "Dear one, why do you love me so? There's nothing more for me to say either. I shall love you forever, too. If you truly love me, let's take a vow tonight."
"Just what I was going to suggest." They got out of bed, dressed, and took a vow before the moon and stars, praying that, among other things, "Not only may we never part in this existence, but in the next one, too, let us be husband and wife." Then they took their clothes off again and climbed back into bed, where they began confiding their innermost secrets.
"In my opinion," said Vesperus, "there's not another woman in the world to equal you. I don't know how many virtuous lives your husband needed to be blessed with such a supreme treasure . . .”

As the old saying goes, “Better to have no books at all than to believe everything you read.”

The best lubricant in the world is vaginal fluid, a substance designed by Heaven and Earth . . .

That is why the man who holds himself aloof will not flourish in the long run. When carried to extremes, such aloofness results in an untold amount of misanthropic behaviour and harsh, mean-spirited rule, which is why the man who holds himself aloof offends against Heavenly tranquility and does not flourish.

[Pettes · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is one of the erotic novels that has lasted, after all these years, from the 17th century until it falls into my hand. what is so special about it? The steamy, unbelievably hot sex scenes? No. Actually, those sex scenes are quite funny. but I persevered. it refers to a penis as 'the jade elephant trunk' (as it has been translated in Thai). the erotic euphemisms can versus those of Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure aka. Fanny Hill.

the story is told from the POV of the lustful protagonist, Wei Yangsheng, who is on the quest to marry the most beautiful woman in the realm and indulge himself in carnal pleasure along the way. Some parts of the story almost made me throw the book away i.e., He got his penis surgically modified by putting spliced dog's penis in the middle of his D in order to increase his libido. What. Even. This signifies the greedy nature of men as perceived in China in late 17th century. Have I mentioned the sexual scenes are freakin' funny? possibly. However, what really catches my attention is the Buddhist framework in the story. I found their reasonings (Both Wei Yangsheng and the Monk) very interesting. they are mountpieces to the lokiya and lokuttara (sanskrit)

This is a nice thing to read when you're horny because it will un-horny you. the sex scenes might even be enough to make you become celibated.

[Helmut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spring Break in China
Bevor er Mönch wird, will es ein junger Scholar nochmal so richtig krachen lassen: Bevor er sein Haupt auf die Gebetsmatte aus Bast senkt, soll noch die Gebetsmatte aus Fleisch ausgereizt werden. Und so begibt sich Vesperus auf diesen Weg; ein gefährlicher, wie man weiß, wenn man die konfuzianische Moral der alten Chinesen kennt...

Erotische Romane waren ein beliebter Zeitvertreib der Ming-Chinesen, und man ist heute oft bass erstaunt ob der Freizügigkeit, Offenheit und völligen Anspannungslosigkeit der Menschen damals in Bezug auf Sexualität. Jeder moderne Nackenbeißer [© sabisteb] könnte sich davon eine Scheibe abschneiden, vor allem, weil der erotische Anteil gleichzeitig in eine moralische Rahmengeschichte eingebettet ist, die einem ansonsten belanglosen Text eine gewisse Tiefe und Bedeutsamkeit verleiht. Humorvoll und hintersinnig kritisiert Li Yu in diesem Text die Leute, deren einziger Lebenszweck in ihren Lenden liegt, und spielt dabei zusätzlich immer wieder mit Versatzstücken aus anderen Texten so respektlos, dass es eine wahre Freude ist. Immer wieder spricht er direkt den Leser an, bindet ihn mit ins Geschehen ein - für die damalige Zeit eine literarische Qualität, die man sonst kaum wo findet.

Eigentlich bin ich ein Fan Li Yus. Doch dieses Werk empfinde ich, obwohl es wahrscheinlich sein bekanntestes ist, als eins der Schwächeren. Irgendwie habe ich den Eindruck, dass es hauptsächlich aufgrund des Sensationsfaktors so bekannt ist - denn seine anderen Werke sind definitiv besser. Dem geneigten Leser empfehle ich daher eher A Tower for the Summer Heat: Gender in an Egalitarian Society oder Silent Operas.

Die englische Arrow-Ausgabe ist mit das unansehnlichste Paperback, das ich seit langem in der Hand hatte - rauhes, grobes Papier und ein hässlicher Schriftsatz machen die Lektüre nicht angenehm. Dafür ist das Vorwort des Übersetzers sowie dessen Endnoten sehr nützlich zum besseren Verständnis und zur Einordnung des Texts.

Die Übersetzung dagegen kann mich nicht begeistern. Wie ich schon des öfteren betont habe, sind mir textnahe Übersetzungen lieber als freiere; bei dieser Übersetzung glaube ich aber, dass der Übersetzer es dahingehend etwas zu gut gemeint hat, und stattdessen besser etwas mehr von dem unzweifelhaft vorhandenen Flair hätte einbringen sollen. So wie sie ist, ist die Übersetzung sehr prosaisch, stellenweise stotternd und nicht fließend, nie wirklich literarisch; ein guter Übersetzer muss halt ein Gefühl für den Text entwickeln, was Hanan trotz seiner offensichtlichen Begeisterung scheinbar nicht leisten kann. Auch wenn er die expliziten erotischen Stellen, die die deutsche Übersetzung von Kuhn in Jou Pu Tuan oft genug sehr blumig umschreibt, in aller Deutlichkeit (manchmal sogar unappetitlich deutlich!) wiedergibt, bleibt doch der Sprachfluss und die Eleganz irgendwie auf der Strecke. Dazu kommt ein Punkt, der mich außerordentlich stört - die Tendenz zum Latinisieren, ähnliches, was wir auch schon in Minfords Übersetzung der letzten Kapitel des Hongloumeng (The Story of the Stone, Vol. 4: The Debt of Tears) beobachten konnten. Hier nun gibt es den Hauptcharakter "Vesperus", die Prüfungskandidaten erhalten die Titel "prima", "secunda" und "tertia", es gibt einen "Master Felix" und tatsächlich so etwas wie einen "Magister Ludi". Das ist schon Exotisierung vom Feinsten, eine Übersetzung eines chinesischen Fachbegriffs in einen lateinischen Fachbegriff, was die Stimmung des Texts verfälscht. Muss sowas wirklich sein, Herr Hanan?

Eine Übersetzung also, die der Kunstfertigkeit Li Yus nicht gerecht wird, auch wenn es gewiss nicht Li Yus bestes Werk ist.

[Mattia]

Qui c'è un piccolo problema. So di aver letto questo libro ma non ricordo assolutamente nulla..questo dovrebbe essere piuttosto indicativo su quanto mi sia piaciuto,vero?

[E.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

很明显的性别歧视 凭什么男人就可以改过自新 女人就只有为他们化解罪孽的份儿啊～生气！！！ 不过关于男人对女人要求的部分还说的挺详细也很有道理 这才发现王晶的《偷情宝鉴》是以原著为剧本改编的

[Stephen Durrant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 17th century Century erotic novel, apparently still banned in Beijing, is simultaneously a treatise on a raucous sexuality obsessed with size and numbers and a warning against indulgence in such a life. All "the fun" leads (no spoiler alert necessary since it's announced at the outset) to self-castration and becoming a Buddhist monk! While the novel is filled with humor and astounding exaggeration, all the while provoking in the modern reader some guilt about smiling over such things, it does require that a reader distance him/herself from values rather far removed from those our current world approves. Most amusing, at least for me, are the "critiques" at the end of each chapter in which Li Yu, assuming the role of an outside critic, lauds his own genius for such clever twists and turns. Well, Li Yu was something of a genius and wrote more than this novel, so I supposed, as the baseball player Dizzy Dean once said, "If you're great and you say you're great, it ain't bragging." But back to the novel: like other erotic works, this book can get tedious, but it is something of a literary landmark and worth a read--if for nothing more than to convince the gentle reader to lead a strict Confucian life and not follow the horrid example of the Scholar Vesperus!!

[sabisteb aka callisto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein buddhistischer Mönch sagt einem junge Mann, der sich selber Vormitternachtsscholar nennt, voraus, dass er das Potential zu einem weisen Mann hat. Der Vormitternachtsscholar hat aber andere Pläne als nach geistiger Vervollkommnung zu suchen geschweige denn diese auch nur anzustreben, er sucht nach der schönsten der Schönen, um diese zu heiraten und sehr viel Spaß im Bett zu haben. Schon bald jedoch, geht ihm sein Schwiegervater gehörig auf die Nerven, auch seine Frau ist ihm nicht mehr genug, er geht auf Reise um seine Suche nach der schönsten der Schönen fortzusetzen und eine heiße Affäre mit ihr zu haben.

Jou Pu tuan, die Gebetsmatte aus Fleisch ist eine chinesische erotische Novellle aus dem Jahr 1657 und wird dem bekannten Autor Li Yu zugeschrieben. Schon zu Zeit ihrer Veröffentlichung spaltete diese Novelle die Zeitgenossen. Man stritt sich, ob es sich einfach nur um einen pornographischen Roman handelt oder ob es sich hierbei um eine moralische Lektion handelt. Der Autor behauptet jedenfalls, dass nur, wer gesündigt hat, auch ein Heiliger werden kann und dass man den Leser halt irgendwie bei der Stange halten muss, und nicht langweilen darf, wenn man ihn belehren will.
Nach seiner Übersetzung ins Deutsche ging der Streit von vorne los. Die Schweizer Behörden verboten das Buch und verbrannten 1959 nicht verkaufte Exemplare. Später musste man einen Wisch unterschreiben, dass man Volljährig ist, das Buch nur aus literarischem Interesse liest und es Jugendlichen nicht zugänglich macht. Die Bücher wurden mit einem Warnhinweis versehen, ähnlich unserer heutigen FSK 18 Kennzeichnung. Auch in Deutschland war das Buch mehrfach vom Zoll beschlagnahmt worden. Aus heutiger Sicht eher lächerlich. Klar, es gibt ein paar Bettszenen, es gibt diverse Stellungen, die durchexerziert werden, vom Sex unter Männern über flotten Dreier und Vierer über Analverkehr und Trinkspielchen ist alles dabei. Die Übersetzung jedoch beschreibt diese Praktiken eher blumig, exotisierend und sehr stilvoll. Nie wird es platt, peinlich oder plump und der Roman wirkt auch heute noch frisch und zeitgemäß. Hier könnten viele moderne Schriftsteller noch sehr viel lernen, deren erotische Passagen meist eher lächerlich bis peinlich wirken.
Man tut dem Buch unrecht, wenn man es nur auf seine erotischen Aspekte reduziert, die keinen größeren Raum einnehmen wie bei jedem anderen heutigen historischen Roman. Selbst Fantasyromane und Nackenbeißer dürften deutlich mehr dieser Episoden aufweisen als dieses Buch, von Shades of Grey schweigen wir mal. Die Novelle hat viele andere Stärken, die von den Kritikern oft einfach ignoriert wurden, bzw. vor dem erotischen Hintergrund verblassten. Die Geschichte ist glaubwürdig und gut konstruiert. Anders als bei Victor Hugo, bei dem viele Konstellationen und Begegnungen erzwungen und gewollt wirken oder bei Charles Dicken, wo sich die Zufälle in unglaubwürdigem Maße häufen, ist die Verkettung unglücklicher Umstände in diesem Buch, die zur letztendlich Bekehrung und Läuterung der Missetäter führen glaubwürdig und äußerst gelungen. Zudem ist dieser Roman ein Zeitdokument des China des 17. Jahrhunderts, das in seinen Ansichten fast modern wirkt. Die Geschichte könnte so nahezu 1:1 heute in NY oder einer anderen modernen Großstadt spielen. Die Dialoge sind witzig und treffend, die Figuren mit genauem, sparsamem Strich gezeichnet. Mit einem Minimum an Beschreibung wird ein Maximum herausgeholt, wie bei einer chinesischen Tuschezeichnung. Erstaunlich sind auch Passagen, die darauf hinweisen, dass man damals in China schon Lokalanesthetika kannte, die in Europa erst Anfang des 20. Jhdt. wirklich zum Einsatz kamen. Witzig sind Parallelen zu heutigen SPAM Mails über Verlängerungen und Aufbesserung seines besten Stücks, da hat sich in den letzten Jahrhunderten nur das Verbreitungsmedium geändert, scheint es.
Aus Sicht eines Atheisten machen es sich die Protagonisten am Schluss ein wenig einfach, das mutet schon fast katholisch an, auch die Aspekte der kollektiven Schuld und Mitsühne der Frauen sind aus europäischer Sicht fragwürdig, dennoch fallen vor allem die vielen Parallelen des Buddhistentums zum Christentum auf.
Der Verlag hat im Gegensatz zum chinesischen Original bzw. der englischen Übersetzung das erste Kapitel an den Schluss gestellt, was ich jedoch durchaus vom Lesefluss begrüßt habe. Man hätte es am Anfang nicht verstanden, am Schluss wirkt es besser.
Fazit: Eine vielschichtige Erzählung. Auf den ersten Blick eine erotische Geschichte in Kombination mit einer coming off Age Geschichte, auf den zweiten Blick ein historisches Sittengemälde, auf den dritten Blick eine Reise zur Erleuchtung und Einsicht.

Es gibt verschiedene Ausgaben des Buches. Die deutsche Übersetzung basiert hauptsächlich auf einer japanischen Übersetzung, während die englischen Übersetzungen sich eher am chinesischen Original orientieren. Im Deutschen gibt es auch unterschiedlich bebilderte Ausgaben. Die frühen weisen meist nur 14 Bilder auf, da die erotischen Holzschnitte zensiert wurden. Vollständig bebildert ist nur die neueste Auflage der Waage aus dem Jahr 1995 und möglicherweise die Erstauflage aus dem Jahr 1959.

[Un Moine Vexé]

Amusing.

[Virgowriter (Brad Windhauser) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for the non-issue queer content in places.

[Natalia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
Enjoyed the writing & humor; different ways to read/experience this book; disappointed in the ending

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique story.

[Svalbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo libro, entrato nella mia biblioteca quasi per caso e grazie al mio solito atteggiamento di lettore ossessivo-compulsivo, nonché ad un venditore di libri usati e la sua cesta di offerte speciali a due euro, mi è piaciuto parecchio. Mi sono anche ricordato che molto tempo fa avevo anche visto un film con lo stesso titolo, frettolosamente e spregiativamente liquidato da una mia amica come “un purnass”(1), e che invece, purtroppo, NON era un purnass bensì era afflitto dai classici limiti che hanno tutti i film che si ispirano ad opere letterarie erotiche, ovvero da un drastico downgrade del coefficiente di visibilità e di realtà copulatoria. E, per certi versi, aveva anche esagerato nel semplificare la storia e il suo spessore; in sostanza, effettivamente, aveva trasformato quello che è un romanzo di un certo spessore erotico, filosofico, morale e anche materiale (quasi 400 pagine scritte piccolissime nell’edizione Bompiani) in un raccontino pruginoso utile a solleticare gli istinti di tutti coloro che per avvicinarsi a quello che è a tutti gli effetti un pallido e squallido simulacro di pornografia hanno rigorosamente bisogno di un alibi culturale. Ma ora parliamo del libro. La storia, ricchissima di citazioni morali e filsofiche, è attribuita ad un certo Li Yü, un commediografo cinese del XVII secolo. Parla di un giovane studente, il Chierico della Prima Veglia, bellissimo, di buona famiglia e di grandi passioni, che inizialmente ha una tenzone dialettica con un anziano monaco, un saggio buddista che vorrebbe portarlo sul retto sentiero della rinuncia e della ricerca interiore. Al contrario, lui sente il bisogno di continuare la sua vita erotica e seduttiva, in quanto sa che il mondo ha ancora molto da riservargli in questo senso prima di intraprendere il cammino della conoscenza spirituale. Effettivamente tiene fede ai suoi propositi, anche troppo; tutto il libro è una girandola di avventure erotiche, di seduzioni, di storie di letto, adulteri, tradimenti, inganni a fini copulatori e quant’altro. Il protagonista tra l’altro si lega con un patto fraterno ad un ladro, una specie di Robin Hood simpatico e di solidi principi morali, che diventerà complice nelle sue avventure e lo aiuterà a conseguire un secondo matrimonio (ecco, una cosa interessante è che pare che nell’antica Cina fosse possibile essere sposati più volte nello stesso tempo, in famiglie diverse, quindi non in un contesto di harem, senza che la cosa facesse particolarmente scandalo). Ma, dopo che per più di tre quarti del libro la vicenda è stata solo una sequenza, scritta con accenti assai divertiti e compiaciuti, di astuzie ed avventure di letto, molti dei pasticci che il Chierico della Prima Veglia ha combinato cominciano a ritorcerglisi contro; il primo marito della sua seconda moglie, da lui cornificato, va dalla sua prima moglie e gli rende pan per focaccia, non solo, ma la rapisce per poi venderla in un postribolo, dove peraltro la medesima si troverà piuttosto bene, almeno fino a quando non vi verrà sorpresa dallo stesso Chierico della prima veglia e per la vergogna sceglierà il suicidio; anche la seconda moglie fugge con un altro amante per poi venire uccisa, e le due figlie da questa avute moriranno. Alla fine il Chierico della Prima Veglia tornerà pentito dal monaco presso il quale ha avuto inizio tutta la vicenda, si farà monaco lui stesso e presso di lui incontrerà il suo amico ladro e il suo principale nemico, il primo marito della sua seconda moglie e seduttore e rapitore della sua prima moglie, anche loro alla ricerca della remissione dei loro peccati. Ciliegina finale: per liberarsi una volta per tutte delle voglie che continuano ad ossessionarlo, il protagonista, come in un film di Ferreri, si taglierà il pisello con un coltello da cucina. E’ chiaro che tutto il racconto ha una finalità morale, ma è una morale affatto particolare, come viene molto ben spiegata nella postfazione che lo stesso autore ha posto alla narrazione, e come viene approfondita nell’estesa introduzione della massima esperta italiana di cultura cinese, Renata Pisu: non sono il desiderio sessuale ed il piacere ad essere recriminati, secondo una superficiale chiave di lettura giudaico-cristiana, bensì gli eccessi e i danni che questa ricerca di piacere possono portare alla dimensione sociale di un mondo che si regge sulla morale confuciana (anche se a latere buddismo e taoismo conservano posti e privilegi non piccoli nella cultura del tempo). Non è sbagliato desiderare il sesso e praticarlo, anche con più persone diverse – cosa che viene descritta, nelle varie vicende narrate, con leggerezza, coinvolgimento e anche un buon grado di umorismo; immorali sono il mancato rispetto delle istituzioni, l’inganno ed il raggiro. Né sono riuscito ad ignorare, leggendo questo libro di cui ex film conoscevo già la conclusione, il noto aforisma attribuito a S. Agostino: Signore, rendimi casto… ma non subito! Sotto il profilo pornografico (che, ça va sans dire, è sicuramente quello che interessa di più i lettori) c’è da dire che l’uso e l’abuso di metafore poetiche, comunissimo nella letteratura orientale, è letterariamente interessante, ma alla lunga risulta un po’ stucchevole al nostro palato di occidentali; ad esempio, l’orgasmo femminile viene qualificato come “esplodere della nuvola”, l’atto sessuale è “gioco del vento e della luna” (che è anche il titolo di un libro di una persona meravigliosa che tempo fa conobbi personalmente, Francesca Ferreri Luna, fondatrice del bel sito di letteratura erotica Progettoxé che purtroppo ha poi ceduto ad altre mani). Premesso questo, nella narrazione nulla viene risparmiato: rapporti semplici e di gruppo, omosessualità, voyeurismo, onanismo, perfino qualcosa che deve corrispondere molto da vicino allo squirting (chi non sa cos’è cerchi con Google, io non lo spiegherò qui). (1) “pornaccio” in piemontese.

[Trounin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Жить нужно так, чтобы получать удовольствие. Вроде нет в этом высказывании противоречия. Вкусно ешь, борешься с красавицами и рассказываешь о свершениях другим. А ежели взглянуть с вершины прожитого опыта, то замечаешь несоответствие достигнутого результата конечным целям. Да, жизнь удалась — мечты сбылись, но о подводном течении мало кто вспомнит. Тишь на поверхности ничего не говорит о внутренних процессах. Буря сменяет бурю, трагедия расцветает на трагедии, будучи порождёнными желаниями одного единственного отростка, побуждающего человека совершать поступки, за которые приходится расплачиваться до гроба. Кто-то скажет, Ли Юй написал незамысловатую эротическую прозу, и ошибётся. Мораль его произведения будет понятна всем — усмиряй плоть и слушайся мудрых, иначе смерть не заставит ждать, либо она придёт, чтобы оскопить похотливых.

(c) Trounin

[Eileen Hendriksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Chinese favorite. The sexual (mis)adventures of one hypersexual young man before he gets sick of it all & chops off his willy to remove temptation and be a buddhist monk. I think it's still banned in Beijing for being so graphically obscene, at least it was still banned there up until recently.

[S]

jiangsu 1610 – 80
1657
New York: Ballantine Books, 1990
Patrick Hanan, trans.

[tmll · Rating 3 out of 5]

hm, i thought it was pretty funny. pass the nyquil...

[Noelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish it. It was a library book and I sent it back. Or wait, did I finish it? I don't think I did. It just wasn't that good and I didn't want to finish it.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very strange book

[Daniel Burton-Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adept rendering of celebrated 17th century Chinese pornographic novel.

[Efad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, erotic, exciting and thought-provoking. A saga of altruist sex.

[Eadweard · Rating 4 out of 5]

So raunchy and funny.

[Reese Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A morality tale and how to book in one ancient novel. While not highly erotic in today's terms the stylization of sex is very interesting.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really crazy about the book and wouldn't recommend it, but was very impressed with the translator's choices and that made me keep reading.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the weirdest books ever written! ridicilous and totaly original mixture of sadness, irony, perversion, insanity and moral truths, wich are transported in a obscure and really brutal way!