The Tao of Love and Sex by Jolan Chang: Complete Guide to Ancient Chinese Sexual Wisdom

Overview

First published in 1977, The Tao of Love and Sex: The Ancient Chinese Way to Ecstasy was one of the first books to present classical Chinese sexual philosophy to a Western audience. Jolan Chang, a Chinese-born Swedish cultural historian, drew on texts dating back to the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE) and earlier to present a view of sexuality radically different from both the repressive moralism of the Christian West and the libertine permissiveness of the sexual revolution.

The Taoist approach that Chang presents is neither puritanical nor hedonistic. It treats sexuality as a natural force, like water or wind, that can be destructive when uncontrolled or beneficial when channeled skillfully. The art of love, in this tradition, is the art of working with sexual energy in ways that promote health, longevity, and harmony for both partners.

The book became an international bestseller and has been continuously in print for nearly five decades, translated into over 20 languages. Its enduring appeal reflects both the intrinsic interest of the material and the ongoing Western search for alternatives to the conflicted relationship with sexuality that characterizes much of Judeo-Christian culture.

Who Was Jolan Chang?

Jolan Chang (1917-2002) was born in Shanghai and emigrated to Sweden, where he spent most of his adult life. He was a cultural historian and writer whose primary interest was making traditional Chinese wisdom, particularly regarding health, sexuality, and the art of living, accessible to Western readers.

Chang was not a Taoist priest or a sexual practice teacher but a scholar who read the original Chinese texts and translated their insights for a modern audience. His approach is historical and interpretive rather than prescriptive: he presents what the ancient texts say and explains their context, leaving the reader to determine how to apply the material.

The Ancient Texts

Chang's primary sources include several classical Chinese texts that treat sexuality as a legitimate and important subject of study:

The Su Nu Ching (Classic of the Plain Girl): A dialogue between the Yellow Emperor (Huang Ti) and his sexual adviser, the Plain Girl (Su Nu), this text provides detailed guidance on sexual technique, health, and the relationship between sexuality and longevity. Dating from the Han dynasty or earlier, it is one of the oldest sex manuals in human history.

The Tung Hsuan Tzu (Master of the Grotto of Mysteries): A slightly later text attributed to a Tang dynasty author, providing additional techniques and philosophical context for Taoist sexual practice.

Medical texts from the Mawangdui excavation: Archaeological discoveries at Mawangdui in 1973 unearthed texts dating to approximately 168 BCE that include sexual health manuals, confirming the antiquity of the tradition Chang describes.

These texts share several features that distinguish them from most Western writing about sexuality. They are matter-of-fact in tone, treating sex as a natural subject no more embarrassing than food or exercise. They are health-oriented, connecting sexual practice to physical well-being and longevity. And they are remarkably attentive to female pleasure, which they treat as both a moral obligation and a health necessity.

Taoist Sexual Philosophy

The foundational concept in Taoist sexual philosophy is that sexual energy (jing) is one of the Three Treasures of the body, alongside vital energy (chi) and spiritual energy (shen). These three forms of energy are interconnected and can be transformed into one another through specific practices.

The Taoist view of male sexuality revolves around the conservation and transformation of jing. Semen is understood not merely as a reproductive fluid but as a concentrated form of vital essence. Every ejaculation expends a portion of this essence. While the body can replenish it, excessive expenditure, particularly as a man ages, is believed to deplete overall vitality, leading to fatigue, weakened immunity, and premature aging.

The solution is not abstinence (which the Taoist texts consider equally unhealthy, leading to stagnation of energy) but conscious management: learning to experience sexual pleasure and even orgasm without routinely ejaculating. This allows the man to enjoy the benefits of sexual activity (energy exchange with the partner, emotional bonding, physical pleasure) while conserving the vital essence.

For women, the Taoist view is more permissive regarding orgasm. Female orgasm is not considered depleting in the same way as male ejaculation; in fact, female arousal and orgasm are understood to generate yin energy that benefits both the woman and her partner. The ancient texts therefore emphasize the importance of ensuring the woman's full satisfaction as both a health practice and an ethical responsibility.

Male Ejaculation Control

The ancient texts prescribe several methods for separating orgasm from ejaculation:

The Locking Method: At the moment of approaching ejaculation, the man presses firmly on the perineum (the area between the scrotum and the anus) while breathing deeply and redirecting attention away from genital sensation. This interrupts the ejaculatory reflex while allowing the orgasmic contractions to occur.

The Breathing Method: Deep, slow breathing during sexual activity slows arousal and prevents the build-up toward ejaculation. When arousal becomes intense, the man pauses, breathes deeply, and allows the energy to circulate before resuming.

The Mental Method: Directing attention away from genital sensation and toward other parts of the body (the top of the head, the heart centre, the soles of the feet) during high arousal prevents the ejaculatory reflex from triggering.

The Regulation Method: Rather than attempting to avoid ejaculation entirely, the ancient texts prescribe frequency guidelines based on age, health, and season. A young, healthy man might ejaculate every few days; an older man every few weeks. The specific recommendations vary between texts but the principle is consistent: match ejaculation frequency to your body's capacity for replenishment.

Chang presents these methods with scholarly precision, noting the variations between different texts and the historical context in which they were developed. He also acknowledges that the techniques require practice and patience, and that not all men will achieve the same results.

Female Sexuality in Taoism

One of the most striking aspects of the ancient texts Chang presents is their attention to female sexuality. In a period when most world cultures either ignored or suppressed women's sexual experience, the Chinese texts provide detailed guidance on understanding and promoting female arousal and orgasm.

The Su Nu Ching describes the "Five Signs" and "Ten Indications" of female arousal, a progressive sequence of physiological responses that allows the attentive lover to track his partner's arousal level and adjust his approach accordingly. The text is explicit that intercourse should not begin until the woman is fully aroused, and that the man's primary responsibility during lovemaking is to attend to his partner's pleasure.

This emphasis on female satisfaction is not purely altruistic. The Taoist understanding is that female orgasm generates yin energy that nourishes both the woman and her partner. A woman who is sexually fulfilled is healthier, more vital, and more harmonious in her relationships. A woman who is sexually neglected becomes depleted and resentful. The man who attends to his partner's pleasure is therefore serving his own health as well as hers.

The Health Connection

Unlike most Western approaches to sexuality, which treat it as either a moral or a recreational matter, the Taoist approach integrates sexuality fully into the health system. The ancient texts describe specific health benefits of mindful sexual practice:

• Improved circulation of chi throughout the body
• Hormonal balance and endocrine health
• Emotional well-being and reduced stress
• Strengthened immune function
• Enhanced vitality and delayed aging

They also describe the health consequences of sexual excess (depletion, fatigue, weakened immunity) and of sexual abstinence (stagnation, irritability, depression). The healthy path, as in all Taoist practice, is the middle way: neither indulgence nor suppression but conscious, balanced practice.

Modern research has begun to confirm some of these claims. Studies have documented health benefits of regular sexual activity, including cardiovascular health (Davey Smith et al., 1997), immune function (Charnetski & Brennan, 2004), and stress reduction (Brody, 2006). The specific claim about ejaculation conservation remains more controversial, though some research suggests hormonal benefits of periodic abstinence (Jiang et al., 2003).

The Thousand Loving Thrusts

One of the most detailed techniques in the Su Nu Ching, which Chang describes at length, is the "Thousand Loving Thrusts," a structured pattern of shallow and deep penetrative movements designed to maximize pleasure for both partners while enabling the man to maintain ejaculation control.

The basic pattern alternates between sets of shallow thrusts (which stimulate the nerve-rich entrance of the vagina) and fewer deep thrusts. A common pattern is nine shallow thrusts followed by one deep thrust, repeated in cycles. The man breathes deeply and maintains a relaxed mental state throughout, attending to his partner's responses and adjusting the rhythm accordingly.

Chang notes that the name "Thousand Loving Thrusts" is not a prescription for a specific number but an expression of the principle that lovemaking should be extended and attentive rather than brief and goal-oriented. The ancient texts consistently recommend prolonged intercourse as more beneficial to both partners' health and pleasure than quick encounters.

Modern Scientific Context

Several of the Taoist principles Chang presents have found support in modern research:

Female arousal requires time: Modern sexology confirms that women typically require significantly more time than men to reach full arousal, supporting the Taoist emphasis on extended foreplay and attention to the "Five Signs" of female arousal (Masters & Johnson, 1966).

Health benefits of sexual activity: Longitudinal studies have documented reduced mortality risk (Davey Smith et al., 1997), improved immune function (Charnetski & Brennan, 2004), and reduced stress hormone levels (Brody, 2006) associated with regular sexual activity.

Male multiple orgasm: Modern sexological research has confirmed the possibility of male orgasm without ejaculation, as documented by Dunn and Trost (1989) and more recently by researchers studying pelvic floor training and its effects on male sexual response.

Comparison with Other Texts

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