Western Queers in China

Download or read book Western Queers in China written by D. E. Mungello and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2012-02-16 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique work examines the role played by sexuality in the historical encounter between China and the West. Distinguished historian D. E. Mungello focuses especially on Western homosexuals who saw China as a place of escape from the homophobia of Europe and North America. His groundbreaking study traces the lives of two dozen men, many previously unknown to have same-sex desire, who fled to China and in the process influenced perceptions of Chinese culture to this day. This escapism engendered casual sexual encounters, serious friendships, and substantive intellectual relationships, all of which had a profound impact on shaping the modern Western conception of China.