The article “In Han Dynasty China, Bisexuality Was the Norm,” by Sarah Prager, is an accessible, non-judgmental take on how bisexuality was viewed in ancient China. It is a well-written article with sources that are relevant to her argument. The piece is accessible for the reader and does not carry judgments about those who did experience bisexuality during this period. According to the article, the literature from the Western Han dynasty, which existed from 206 BCE to 220 CE in China, shows that homosexuality was tolerated by the imperial court and was a common practice among the elite (Prager 2020). It starts with a story about how Emperor Ai cut off the sleeve of his robe after waking up instead of waking his male lover, Dong Xian, who was asleep and lying on his sleeve. The love of the two men was not the only instance of homosexuality practiced by emperors, with all ten emperors of the western Han dynasty having both male consorts and wives.
The article goes on to discuss what “homosexuality” means today, as well as in ancient China. Han Dynasty China was a time of tremendous and flourishing cultural achievements, and one of its most prominent cultural inventions at this period was homosexual culture. This article looks at one historian’s perspective on bisexuality’s prevalence during this period and how it got started in Han Dynasty China. From the historian Bret Hinsch’s research, it is clear that minority sexual practices were tolerated in this period due to government efforts to build unity and loyalty in society (Prager 2020). From this perspective, it is possible to build a picture of the more tolerant and liberal attitudes of Western Han Dynasty China. Society did not impose any moral judgment on minority sexual practices. The dominant heterosexual culture was also not imposed upon other sexual practices.
The article shows that same sex relations, especially among the elites, was a normal thing in the Han dynasty. According to the article by Prager (2020), “all ten emperors who ruled over the first two centuries of the Han dynasty were “openly bisexual,” with Ai being the tenth” (para 4). Each emperor had a male lover or favorite, who they kept close alongside their wives. According to the article by Prager (2020), the male consorts were seen to be part of a “important parts of their lives as well” and not just sex partners (para 7). The article by Prager (2020) also refers to Sima Qian’s words: men, alongside women, were able to use looks to win favors in the courts of the elites and attract rulers in this period (para 6). Emperor Ai even went further and wanted to leave the kingdom after his death to Dong Xian, which the ruling class considered an overreach. As a result, they compelled Dong Xian and his wife to take their lives, signifying the end of the Han dynasty.
In conclusion, according to the article, ancient China is an excellent example of a more tolerant society that did not impose a moral judgment on non-heteronormative practices. This was an example of how important love is and why it was viewed as such in Han Dynasty China: It has no gender. The story about Emperor Ai cutting off the sleeve instead of waking Dong Xian up shows this. Emperor Ai loved Dong Xian so much that he was willing to sacrifice his clothing to ensure his lover’s comfort. The article also shows that the issue of homosexuality is not a modern phenomenon but part of many societies’ past and present. The article is an excellent resource for anyone interested in this topic.
Reference
Prager, Sarah. 2020. In Han Dynasty China, Bisexuality Was the Norm. JSTOR. Web.