Li Yu (author)
Li Yu (1610-1680) was a Chinese playwright, novelist and publisher. Born in Rugao, he lived in late-Ming and early-Qing dynasties.
Li was an actor, producer, and director as well as a playwright, who traveled with his own troupe. His play Fēngzhēng wù ("Errors caused by the Kite") remains a favorite of the Chinese Kun opera stage.
Li is the presumed author of Ròu pútuán ("The Carnal Prayer Mat"), a well-crafted comedy and a classic of Chinese erotic literature. He also wrote a book of short stories called Shí'èr lóu (十二樓, ("Twelve Towers"). In his time he was widely read, and appreciated for his daringly innovative subject matter. He broaches the topic of same-sex love in the tale Cuìyǎ lóu ("House of Gathered Refinements"). This is a theme which he revisits in the collection Wúshēng xì ("Silent Operas" i.e. "novels").
The famous painting manual Jieziyuan Huazhuan was prefaced and published by Li in Jinling.
The Carnal Prayer Mat
The Carnal Prayer Mat is an erotic novel written by Qing dynasty author Li Yu in 1657. It is divided into 4 chapters: Spring, Summer,"Autumn, Winter. It was brought to Japan in 1705; the most complete extant copy is kept at Tokyo University. The novel was used as the basis for the 2010 Hong Kong erotic film "3-D Sex & Zen: Extreme Ecstasy".
Translations
- English: Patrick Hanan, The Carnal Prayer Mat, University of Hawaii Press 1996 ISBN 0824817982
- German: Franz Kuhn, Jou Pu Tuan, Ein Erotischer Roman aus der Ming-Zeit, mit 60 chinesische Holzschnitten
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