Chinese Erotic Art: Shanghai Decadence in the 1920s
03 mei 2018 
7 min. read

Chinese Erotic Art: Shanghai Decadence in the 1920s

The whirlpool of activity in Shanghai during the 1920s and 1930s was unmatched in the Far East. In the booming port city, there was a mixture of the decadence of old China and the crudeness of the new culture. The erotic scroll paintings below were made at that time. They are representative of a genre called Spring Palace Paintings, which showed sensual scenes.

Western Hairstyles

These pieces are among the last examples of paintings in traditional style. Although the style is classical, the portrayed men wear Western clothes and all protagonists have Western hairstyles. The ladies still have bound feet, and some keep the old Chinese stomacher to cover their breast and belly, the traditional way.

chinese erotic painting A young Chinese girl directs her partner's penis to her private area while bringing a black handkerchief to her mouth in slight embarrassment. She is sitting on a pillow while leaning backwards to four rolled up blankets. Her male partner has kept his English woolen socks on

Black Handkerchief

A young Chinese girl directs her partner’s penis to her private area while bringing a black handkerchief to her mouth in slight embarrassment. She is sitting on a pillow while leaning backwards to four rolled up blankets. Her male partner has kept his English woolen socks on.

chinese erotic painting with a Young Chinese couple watching each other in the mirror

Mirror

Young Chinese couple watching each other in the mirror. The girl is sporting a dildo attached to her heel.

chinese erotic art with Girl massaging her lover's private parts with her feet. His white Panama hat hanging on the door.

Massage

Girl massaging her lover’s private parts with her feet. His white Panama hat hanging on the door.

chinese erotic painting with a Stark naked couple making love on a sofa

Mountain Lake

Stark naked couple making love on a sofa. The painting above them on the wall features a mountain lake.

chinese erotic painting with A threesome with one male and two females.

Threesome

A threesome with one male and two females. The reluctance of the lying girl and the impatient advances of the boy are aptly-applied by the artist.

chinese erotic painting with Completely naked mature couple in the missionary pose. Above them a large painting depicting a snowy mountain village.

Mountain Village

Completely naked mature couple in the missionary poseAbove them a large painting depicting a snowy mountain village.

chinese erotic painting with Pregnant woman penetrated sideways by her lover.

Mo xiong

A young male penetrates his female lover sideways while holding on to her mo xiong  or dudou (stomacher).

chinese erotic painting with Intimate couple in a tight embrace while passionately kissing. The woman wears a traditional Chinese stomacher while the man still sports his Western sock garters that were popular at the time.

Western Sock Garters

Intimate couple in a tight embrace while passionately kissing. Like in the previous scene, the woman wears a traditional Chinese stomacher while the man still sports his Western sock garters that were popular at the time.

Chinese intimate couple in bed

Pigtail

A male lover, his pigtail wrapped around his head, is passionately making love in the missionary pose to his female lover. A funny detail are the shoes of the man standing in front of the bed on an otherwise empty floor.

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What do you like more the poetic erotic paintings of the Chinese or the more in-your-face approach of Japanese shungaShare your thoughts in the comments below!

About the author
Marijn is the founder of shungagallery.com. With more than 20 years of experience within the sensual and erotic art of shunga he is an authority in the genre. During this time he served many customers with complementing their art collection.
Kk
By

Kk

on 21 May 2019

i m a Chinese I m confident to tell u that v r all hypocrite

Marijn
By

Marijn

on 29 May 2019

Thanks for your comment. Why do you think so?

JB
By

JB

on 12 May 2021

I too wonder what you mean by your comment, kkk, and if indeed you are Chinese as you state. Like Marijn, I'm curious, Not that I expect to see an answer, but I'm nevertheless curious what you mean.

michael
By

michael

on 12 Nov 2022

I lived in Shanghai and symbols of the 20's decadence were still around until very recently. I just acquired one of those books but I am not sure if it is an original. It has one page erotic guache and the opposite page old character Chinese Caligraphy

Marijn Kruijff
By

Marijn Kruijff

on 13 Nov 2022

Thanks for your comment Michael!

RWH22
By

RWH22

on 06 Dec 2022

Rare erotic scroll paintings from the Repulic period. The mixed elements of Qing style clothing with Western clothes is accurate.. Also, the portrayal of the men's pubic hair being thicker and bushier than the females, is also generally accurate and true.

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