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GAY CHINA In ancient China, having same sex love with boys was often taken as a hobby and it was quite common, also among court officials. For two centuries, at the height of the Han Dynasty, China was ruled by at least ten openly bisexual emperors, their names with their acknowledge favorites are recorded in the official history of the period, and many classical novels have detailed descriptions about gay love too, e.g. the story of the Three Kingdoms which speaks of 'many blossom boys'. When early western observers arrived in China, they noted the acceptance of homosexuality in China. A Christian missionary wrote that the Chinese 'loved sodomy which could be seen everywhere'. Due to the huge impact made by the West from the 19th century on, gay tolerance diminished and it became looked down on. Although there are no laws against homosexuality in China, it was once considered a mental disorder by the government. In 2001 it was removed from the People's Republic of China classification of mental disorders and same sex relations are now once again accepted, as long as they are not openly displayed. Tolerance towards gay people is rising and being gay is fast becoming a way of living in many urban areas. Gay establishments and meeting places are emerging in almost every big city and consist of bars and discos, as well as of restaurants. Many young gays also use the internet to meet other gays and make new friends. This vast country with a population of over 1.3 billion people has a safe and friendly environment and will make any visitor feel at ease.
There are several words and idioms for 'gay' in Chinese, here are some: lóng yáng (龙阳) = slang, literally 'dragon sun', the word yáng also stands for the masculine, active principle of the universe, as in yīn-yáng (阴阳), yīn being the female principle. Besides this, Lóng Yáng was the name of a historical lord who was the gay lover of the king of Wei, hence the etymology behind it. Lóng yáng is also the name of a place in Shanghai, as well as of the international Asian gay association which has gatherings in Bangkok too; tóng xìng (同性) = homosexual, literally 'same sex', and tóng xìng 'ài (同性爱) = gay love, literally 'same sex love'; fēn táo (分桃) = slang, literally 'to divide a peach', with the peach being the symbol of immortality and eternal live. The term originates from the story of Mizi Xia, the boyfriend of the ruler of Wei, who one day, when strolling in a peach orchard gave half of a sweet peach to his lover to enjoy. nán fēng (男风) literally 'male wind', an idiom that denotes a fashion of forming male company, including intimate relations. It may however suggests male chauvinism with an ability to exclude the female. duàn xiù (断袖), literally 'cut sleeve', a slang term that derives from a story of the gay emperor Han Aidi (real name Liu Xin), who favored the minor official Dong Xian. Their relationship is referred to as 'the passion of the cut sleeve' (斷袖之癖), after a story that one afternoon, after falling asleep for a nap on the same bed, the emperor cut off his sleeve rather than disturb the sleeping Dong Xian, when he had to get out of bed. nán sè (男色) literally 'male beauty', an idiom that refers to the seductive features in boys and men which may be on occasion even somewhat feminine.
HONG KONG Hong Kong province, with a population of over 7 million, as sparkling gay scene, spread over Hong Kong Island as well as in Kowloon. On the island the main attraction is Lan Kwai Fong, a frantic nightlife hub with a cluster of interesting bars and discos. In Kowloon the action is around Yau Ma Tei and Tsim Sha Tsui.
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