Sex museums in China

Museum of Ancient Chinese Sex Culture

The first sex museum in China opened in 1999 in the center of Shanghai; in 2001 it moved to the outskirts of the city. It was variously called Museum of Ancient Chinese Sex Culture or Dalin Cultural Exhibition after its founder and the curator of the museum, sexologist Dr. Liu Dalin. Liu Dalin, , is a professor of Shanghai University. The exhibitions in the museum took him ten years to gather from places in and out of the country. In early 2004 it moved again, to Tong Li, and is now known as the China Sex Museum, with over three thousand erotic artifacts.

The museum has 3,700 erotic toys, icons, sex cultural relics, sculptures, paintings and books of ancient time, among which the oldest exhibit can be dated back to 8,000 years ago. There are over 20 rare exhibits which were made 5,000 years ago.

The exhibition comprises 10 sections: the evolution of sex, sex worship, the development of the marriage system, sexual oppression of women, sex accessories, erotica, sexual health, sex and religion sexuality.

The museum is tastefully decorated with good lighting, thus highlighting intricacies of art. The sections covered are sex in various religions, Hindu and Buddhist erotic sculpture; gay sexuality in China and prostitution. There are some antique graphic paintings dating back to the Song dynasty of the 10th and 13th centuries. Also you will find paintings of sex acts from Japan, China, India and Thailand. Some of the collection here is barred from public viewing. 

Phalluses from Asia and Europe can be watched, ancient China was much phallic-oriented, which the dildos, phallic sculptures and other penis art works show.

It has been a point of controversy ever since its establishment in September 1999. Some people are opposed to its exhibits, considering them distasteful and unhealthy, while others believe that they form part of ancient Chinese civilization, and reflect objectively human kind’s attitude towards sex. For a time the museum seemed likely to close down, but as people are now more aware of the cultural value of ancient sexual practices, the museum has fortunately met with development opportunities, and a branch has opened in Zhejiang’s Hangzhou.

The local government is giving him rent-free space in a 100-year-old courtyard-style building spending thousands of dollars on renovations.

"I won't have to scrape to survive, it will be a great relief," Liu says. "I can display my whole collection. And the garden will have space for sculptures."

Liu says the town expects the museum to be a tourist attraction. But Tongli officials sounded uncomfortable when asked about it.

"A museum is a museum. A scenic spot is a scenic spot," said the mayor's secretary, who gave only his surname, Li. "Tongli is certainly not treating the Sex Museum as a tourism destination.

Double marble penis (dildo) used by lesbian in ancient days.

Danxia Mountain Sex Culture Museum

This museum of sex culture opened to the public in March 2004 soon after Danxia Mountain was approved by UNESCO to be included on the first list of world geological parks. The museum covers 2,400 square meters and is divided into six exhibition areas under twelve sex oriented themes, including "Sex in Waters and Mountains", "Sex in Chinese Characters" and "Sex and Chinese Literature".