The erotic expression in Taoism
The sexual customs of ancient China have their origin in Taoism; a philosophy which was as deep-rooted in the cultural and artistic life, as in the life-style and way of thinking.
In Taoism, every effect of cause had an equal or opposite reaction and in this way the responsible energies were called: Yin (the passive force; negative and nurturing) and Yang (the active force; positive and consuming).
The Yang (man) and Yin (woman) were the names used in Taoism for lovers. The equilibrium between them both was thought to be precarious and therefore it was reckoned that the best way to correct this unbalance of the forces and the energies was for the man to take some of the Yin strength from the woman, and for the woman likewise to take some of the Yang energy from the man.
Said equilibrium was obtained in the erotic and sexual exchange; the longer the exchange lasted the greater the flow of Yin and Yang. The most culminating point was obtained in the orgasm.
More than 3.500 years ago, before the so called “Western sexual revolution”, in ancient China the attitude towards eroticism and sex was already very direct and sophisticated.
The erotic expression in the Shintoism
From the erotic and sexual point of view, the Shintoism, which is the original religion of ancient Japan and which is profoundly routed in their culture, has been described as the least complicated, seeing as it has always been totally normal in its cultural and artistic expression.
In Shintoism they honoured the phallus cult, and in the Shintoist sanctuaries of Japan one can find carvings of phallic motives of a great artistic value.
According to this religion all physical practices are of a divine origin and one should enjoy them to the maximum, seeing as they have been given as a present from the gods to human beings.
The expression of eroticism in Shintoism has always been very frank and without any preoccupation towards diverse barriers and taboos, which is very fascinating in many aspects, but when we talk about their expression of sex it is unbelievable.
