| DATE | Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644) |
| AUTHOR | The Candidate from the South - China |
| MEDIA | China ink on paper |
| SIZE | Unknown |
| LOCATION | Unknown |
| NOTES | This is a plate from the book Hua Ying Chin Chen (=Variegated Positions of the Flower Battle).
The text accompanying the picture reads:
Surrounded by a lingering fragrance, and so handsome as to make the ladies pelt him with fruit till his carriage is full, who is that gentleman of dignified mien? In order to explore the Charm of the Rose he has inveigled his partner into allowing him to try the Flower of the Hindgarden. The other is a little bashful and gently pushes him away, for this is quite a departure from the ordinary! Looking over his shoulder he calls out softly: "Hurry a bit! And please don't say anything to the others!"
The translator of this text (R.H. Van Gulik, the well known sinologist and author of the Judge Dee mystery novels) strangely introduces feminine pronouns (corrected here) into the description, making the pair appear a male-female couple. The South was traditionally known as the seat of male love in China. It is impossible to believe that Van Gulik would have been so naive as not to realize this. The only question is whether he merely kowtowed to mid-twentieth century convention (his book on Ming erotic prints came out in 1951) or whether he chose to misrepresent the image due to personal bias. |
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