ISBN13: 9780791408865

Condition: New

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Average Customer Review: ( 9 customer reviews )
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This is not a `new-age relationships' book, nor a `light-reading sex-tips' book; it's a scholarly and faithful set of translations of Taoist texts originating from the second century B.C. through the early 1700's.

These might be rather heady for the beginner, but if you've studied alchemical Taoism (especially the sexual aspect) from more modern sources - and would like to peruse some of the classics (from the 1000's of years that the Chinese have been studying this stuff), then this is THE book. It's extremely well written; the introduction alone is worth the price of the book.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:

An important reference work for the serious studentNov 27, 2004
By AlchemistGeorge "formerly known as 'cocktail sage'"
Here is the largest collection of historical Chinese texts on Taoist sexuality in English, excellently translated and footnoted. A must have reference work for the serious, advanced student.

This is not an introductory text, and I think a beginner would be hard pressed to understand and practice many of the techniques in the book.

4 of 4 found the following review helpful:

Very complete. documented and AnnotatedMar 08, 2003
By Richard L. Rankin
This is a work of scholorship and not simply a book about the ancient Chinese view of sex. It's very complete and contains both usuful material for moderns and very interesting historical material regarding alchemy, Qi Gong and Chinese medicine as they relate to sex.

6 of 7 found the following review helpful:

Outstanding collection and translationApr 10, 2006
By wiredweird "wiredweird"
This book collects nearly two dozen classical writings on the use of sexual energy in achieving health and long life. It's a distinctly non-Western tradition, but presents a unified, interlocking set of ideas.

The largest part of this lore corresponds to Western alchemy. It uses many of the same metaphors, such as mercury, lead, and the crucible, and much of the same elliptical language. In a few places, the metaphors or code-words are so obscure that translators disagree wildly on their meanings, and even on whether the meanings can be reconstructed correctly. Other parts of the writings draw on mystical Taoism, Buddhism, and the same vital energies that explain acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Not surprisingly, much of the tradition is aimed at male readers, with relatively little concern for the women. Despite the over-all male orientation, the last few selections do address women, with needs that sometimes match and sometimes differ from the men's. Even the men's writings address the importance of the woman's excitement, though, and describe the outwardly visible signs of its many stages.

However it is phrased or whoever it is addressed to, this set of practices is based on summoning and channeling sexual energy. Many of the authors use the "paired way" of coition to raise that power. Others use solo exercises in self-stimulation for the same purpose. This seems especially common in the women's texts, possibly because placing her needs before the man's would have been culturally unacceptable. The emphasis is on yogic self-discipline rather than exotic poses. Still, one author does offer a list of couplings with poetic names such Mandarin Ducks United (a pose I enjoy very much, because of range of additional caresses it makes possible). I recommend this book very highly to students of Asian thought and to anyone else who wants to see different perspectives on the practice and power of human sexuality.

//wiredweird

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

A Historical ResourceMar 06, 2010
By Burton Robinson
I found this book to be in mildly poor taste.

It says a lot about sources, morality, and translation fallibility. It also says a lot about "orientalism" and "occidentalism."

My interest started as a bad Jack Nicholson joke. The interest grew when a middle age Chinese American computer programmer smugly commented on the superiority of Chinese distinctions of love and lust.

There is a time and a place for pressure points, tantra, and domestic order.

The book is well sourced - and is thus a good historical resource - much in the same way as an old phrenology book or a 18th century barber's manual.

Historians might enjoy - but there is so much other literature available.

I would have preferred to read "The Three Kingdoms" a Lu Hsun anthology, a treaty by Wang Chung or "The Art of Love" again if I had my time back.

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