Sex in a Confucian Society

Ethnic, gender, and length‐of‐residency influences on sexual knowledge and attitudes

“…The belief that intercourse during menstruation is not healthy is congruent with the early parochial Chinese tradition of eliminating menstruating women from family rites and marking them with a red spot on their foreheads to indicate their unclean condition (Van Gulik, 1961). Similarly, Asians' negative view of masturbation in the current study and in previous studies (e.g., Chan, 1990, Hong et al, 1994 may be traced to the Chinese Taoist deemphasis on ejaculation as the ultimate goal of sex for a man (Hong, Yamamoto, Chang, & Lee, 1993): It was believed that semen, activated by the inhibition of ejaculation, would travel upward along the dorsal column to the ni-huan spot in the brain. This doctrine was interpreted to imply that "spilling of the semen" during masturbation or intercourse, would lead to a loss of strength and would be injurious to health (Chan, 1986).…”

Gender Differences in Adolescent Premarital Sexual Permissiveness in Three Asian Cities: Effects of Gender-Role Attitudes

“…Since then, it became the orthodox doctrine of Chinese society, and extended great influence to countries surrounding China like Korea, Japan and Vietnam, as well as various territories settled predominantly by Chinese people [15, 16]. Taking Vietnam for example, it has been spread for more than two thousand years and rooted in the local cultures, politics, customs and rituals [17].…”

“…Confucianism strictly dictated appropriate or expected behaviors for everyone by its core of “three relationships, five constants” ( san gang wu chang ), namely relationship between emperior and minister, father and son, or husband and wife, as well as virtues of Humaneness ( ren ), Righteneousness ( yi ), Etiquette (li), Wisdom ( zhi ), and Integrity ( xin ). Besides, particular doctrines of “three obediences and four virtues ( san cong si de )” were placed on women, linking gender roles to unequal gender stratification, or the unequal distribution of power and resources between men and women [16, 18]. That is, traditionally, women were subordinate to men in every stage of life: daughters to their fathers, wives to their husbands and in widowhood, to their sons.…”

“…The man was expected to go out to work to support his family and his role in the family was a regnant one. Expectations in terms of sexuality were that men and women should conduct themselves properly from an enotional distance at all times and not have any contact before marriage [16]. Chastity was particularly required on women.…”

Attitudes Toward Date Rape Among University Students in South Korea

“…Korean society has been strongly influenced by Confucianism, which imparts different standards of sexual morality for men and women (Gil and Anderson 1999;Kim 2003). Under the influence of Confucianism, woman's chastity is strongly emphasized, and woman's sexuality is considered invisible and perceived to be controlled only by her husband for reproduction or his pleasure (Abraham 1999;Gil and Anderson 1999;Hong et al 1993;Luo 2000). In South Korea, rape has historically been seen as an act of sex that violates a woman's chastity and a victim of rape has been viewed as a woman who lost her chastity; therefore, a victim's sexual history has been considered a core element in determining whether she deserves legal protection (Chang et al 2003;Shim 1998Shim , 2001.…”