Jiang has been immersed in cross-text writing in the field of sexology for nearly 30 years, including academic texts published in internationally renowned sinology journals and popular reading materials published in fashion magazines. Through his own compilation, he selected 23 articles from different periods to compile Five Chapters of Sexology, which was published a few days ago.

In 1980s, Jiang was a graduate student in the Institute of Natural Science History of Chinese Academy of Sciences. All the boys in the courtyard of the institute like to talk about their sexual customs and interesting stories of the lower classes during the Cultural Revolution, as well as their own sexual experiences, while the younger brothers with simple experiences also put on an omniscient attitude to participate in the discussion. Sexual loneliness and pain can be alleviated through such discussions.

Jiang Ben wanted to push the casual discussion among classmates to the academic level, but as a person addicted to the past, the direction is naturally clear about the cultural history of sex. 1986, his paper,1A Preliminary Study on Sex Science in China before the 20th century, was published, which was also his first academic paper. Since then, his articles and works on sexology, both academic and popular, have been written continuously. The doctor of history of science also became one of the founders of China Sexology Association. Now he is the executive director of the society and the vice president of Shanghai Sex Education Association.

Among Jiang's own works, two are most proud of. One is the True Source of Tianxue written by 1990, which discusses the role of Tianxue in ancient China society and is his famous work; Another book is China People under Sexual Tension, which is not only influential in the field of sexology, but also favored by many pirated booksellers.

Daily: The Five Chapters of Sexology is a collection of past articles. What does it mean for today's readers?

Jiang: I put most of the articles in the book in my blog. Judging from this information, people have been reading them. I basically don't discuss clinical problems, most of which are related to cultural history. This topic has no effect, people will read it for a long time, because the problems discussed in the article have been bothering people.

Daily: In the process of compiling this book, did you also feel the sense of time stagnation mentioned in the preface of China under Sexual Tension? Can you reflect the appeal of your sexology research, that is, to explain and solve people's sexual problems through reviewing and analyzing history and culture?

Jiang: I basically don't have this appeal. This involves my state when I first entered this industry. At first, this industry mostly relied on the medical industry. At first, I was playing with tickets, and I never gave myself a sense of mission, that is, to solve the current problems. The reason why I associate ancient times with modern times is just to illustrate the problem. I think pointing out the similarities between ancient and modern times can better explain the problem and make it easier to understand the ancient situation. On the other hand, ancient examples can also be used for reference to the present. Some ancient people also had some problems, and they also had some countermeasures and solutions. Are these methods still available today? Not necessarily.

Some sexologists will directly say those methods. For example, Li Yinhe and Pan Suiming made some demands. Although the current policy will not accept them, they are not prohibited from saying so. I provided ancient examples to show that their views were actually implemented in that way by some ancient local officials.

Daily: You put forward the concept of sexual tension, thinking that sexual tension can't become zero, and the degree of relaxation is different in different periods. Compared with the historical period, what is the state?

Jiang: Obviously, it has not reached the most open level in history. I have said this many times. For example, in the Tang Dynasty, both ideas and behaviors were definitely more open than now. Many examples can be found in China under Sexual Tension, which shows the openness that our contemporary people can't imagine.

Imprisonment originated in the Southern Song Dynasty, and then the tension was stronger. The farther apart the two ends are, the greater the tension is, and the closer the two ends are, the smaller the tension is. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the power of ethics became stronger and stronger, and the tension became tighter and tighter. In the Tang Dynasty, this rubber band was very loose. Although it provides tense ideological resources,

In the Book of Rites in the pre-Qin period, the most basic ethics and etiquette thoughts have been found.

The concept of sexual tension is actually very simple, with lust at one end and abstinence at the other. Each of us lives between the two ends. When we go to the extreme of indulgence, we are sick. When we go to the extreme of abstinence, we are not reconciled and can only live in it.

Modern people's sexual tension is still very strong, and now many psychologists are responsible for solving this problem. There was no such occupation in ancient times, but the ancients had similar problems. They look for people who are responsible for solving these problems from outside, such as monks and Taoists. In the west, you can find priests and astrologers.

Now that we are more open and convenient to socialize, why do we have more troubles? And more troublesome than the ancients? This is also difficult to explain directly from the perspective of sex, and I tend to explain it from the perspective of philosophy. The more modern society, the stronger the sense of alienation. In the words we can see, loneliness and alienation, at least in China's classical literature, are rare. Modern people often think that people can't communicate with each other, even if they sleep in the same bed. This question was rarely expressed by the ancients, and I tend to think that it is very few.

Daily: This sense of loneliness and alienation is the product of modernization?

Jiang: It is the product of modernization. The problems that have been shown in European and American literary works have also appeared in us. These problems, if summed up as sexual tension, can not be covered. The most complicated interpersonal relationships are those related to sex. As a result of modernization, many people's social skills have declined, and the Internet, including the current mobile Internet, has further reduced people's social skills. Interpersonal communication through new social tools is different from social communication that can bring psychological satisfaction to people.

It is absurd for young white-collar workers to rely on their parents to help them find a partner.

Daily: Nowadays, junior topics can easily attract public attention and discussion. Is there too much rejection, indignation and even panic?

Jiang: I think society is becoming more and more tolerant on these issues. There's nothing to panic about. It keeps entering the public discourse space and being discussed, which in itself shows that taboo elements are getting weaker and weaker, and people are becoming more and more tolerant. People have begun to use the word mistress as an allusion to other things, which shows that the acceptance of this word has improved a lot.

This tolerance is the same as the overall situation of western developed societies. I was asked to imagine the future marriage system. I said it's actually very simple. There are very simple ways to solve all the problems related to marriage. In the future, the law can protect various forms of marriage. If all forms of marriage, including monogamy, were protected, wouldn't it be all right? Another German scholar once asked why marriage must be for life. You can sign a five-year contract first, and then you can renew or terminate it. This is also a way of thinking.

It is accidental to advocate monogamous Christian civilization to become a strong civilization in the world. It promotes the system all over the world, but you can't guarantee it forever. In fact, in the Christian civilized western society, people also use other ways to solve and compensate the problem of monogamy.

This problem is basically a matter of ideas. Many things, if you are serious, are things, but if you are not serious, they are not things. If more and more people are emancipated in concept, this problem will naturally disappear. I don't advocate taking any action to change and advance this process. I feel like I shouldn't do anything, that's all.

Daily: This year, some gay organizations voiced through the media, hoping to promote same-sex marriage legislation, but I think maybe their main purpose is to hope that related issues can be discussed on a larger scale.

Jiang: It is understandable to gain some legitimacy and the right to speak in this way. There is a story of three cities in five articles on sexology. The 20 years in Berlin, Paris and London happened to be the most dramatic period. There is a process for these countries to gradually tolerate homosexuality. It is true that some groups have been working hard, but this is spontaneous by the people. The government first tried to suppress it, but then did nothing. Later, the efforts of the people became more and more effective, and the concept was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Everyone is more tolerant, and it is logical to amend the regulations.

Daily: What do you think of some officials and other public figures caught in a sexual moral dilemma?

Jiang: As an official and a public figure, it is inevitable that private life will be invaded by the public. If you don't want to pay the price, don't be a high official or a famous public figure. People have higher requirements for your private life, which is nothing to say.

This reminds me of an old story in the past. Yuan Mei has homosexual tendencies. Once his boss talked to him about it, and Yuan Mei wrote a letter to argue with him. He said, as your subordinate, my work is impeccable. That matter is my private matter. My wife is fine with it, and my concubine is fine with it, so don't worry about it. Yuan Mei's ideas are very modern. He wants to separate his private life from his public duties. But in fact, his boss can also defend himself: as an official, the requirements for your private life are higher than the average person. Even if your wife doesn't mind, what about the public? As your boss, do I have a problem?

But in fact, the public is sometimes very tolerant. For example, there are still many people who sympathize with Clinton. When the Lewinsky incident was raging, many Hollywood female stars took to the streets to support him. They think that President Clinton has performed his duties well, so why should they pester his private life? Besides, the investigation cost so much taxpayers' money, is it necessary? Clinton has a good reputation now. Many people like him very much. Italy also has Berlusconi, and the Italian public is actually very tolerant of him. Of course, every nation is different and cannot be generalized. Tolerance is different in different cultures and different historical periods of the same culture.

China sexology association was formally established after ten years of preparation 1994. Before that, it had been active as a preparatory committee for ten years. The tolerance of activities has changed greatly in the past ten years. I gave an example in a related article. When the exhibition was held, the leader felt that there was something wrong because of a photo of a man and a woman hugging. In later exhibitions, you can even discuss the G-spot.

Another example is "China under Sexual Tension" (1995), which is about to be published. I have provided all the illustrations to the publishing house. It is said that at that time, the superior was reviewed by an old lesbian, but she didn't ask to withdraw the illustrations. However, at that time, the publishing house had concerns and asked to withdraw. In the second edition, the illustrations were restored.

Daily: sexual openness is often considered to be closely related to the centralization of political power?

Jiang: On the surface, the two seem to be isomorphic. In China, the centralization of power was strengthened in Ming and Qing Dynasties, and more people advocated ethics, which seemed almost synchronous. But whether this synchronization is established is not without discussion. It is mainly some sinologists in the west and observers of China society who have constructed such a synchronous formula, trying to use this formula to measure China society today. They think these two aspects are synchronized, so one day, when they see our openness in the media, they think it is a signal of political openness, or they think politics should be conservative when they see conservative remarks. These views are actually difficult to establish.

Daily: How do China's historical materials interact with western research methods and perspectives?

Jiang: A stone from other mountains can attack jade. It is ok to use western fashionable theories, but these theories are also constructed.

China's historical data can be used to change this theory. Therefore, I propose that Chinese and western theories and historical materials can be mutually beneficial. China's historical materials are also the stones of other mountains to the west. Obviously, sexology itself is artificially constructed. Western theories may be used to analyze and explain western phenomena, but it doesn't mean that they will work in China.

When you talk about interaction, it is not a one-way thing. On the one hand, it is the height of theory, on the other hand, it is the field of application. Otherwise, you can do it the other way around. It's just that the language barrier of China scholars is a problem that we have to admit. It would be much better if we had more bilingual scholars like Lin Yutang. Sexology itself is relatively broad, discussing sexual psychology, sexual society and sexual culture in a very wide range, and the requirements for language have doubled.

Article source: China Business News

Original title: Why do we always talk about sex?