The ancient art of erotic paintings originated in the Tang Dynasty and flourished during the Ming and Qing periods, serving as an important component of Chinese culture and art. Some works were even very explicit, exhibiting an atmosphere of indulgence and revelry. Most of these works were created to cater to the tastes of the aristocracy, scholars, bureaucrats, and wealthy merchants. The art of erotic paintings has always been controversial in traditional Chinese culture. On one hand, it was seen as a unique cultural phenomenon representing the aesthetic and sexual values of the society at that time; on the other hand, it was also regarded as vulgar and decadent, inevitably corrupting morality and social values. Therefore, in Chinese history, the art of erotic paintings has experienced many waves of prohibition and censorship.

The emperor Qianlong banned ancient erotic art primarily out of moral and cultural considerations. He believed that this artistic form was obscene and vulgar, inconsistent with the Confucian values of "rites, righteousness, integrity, and shame," and unsuitable for circulation in the court and society. Additionally, the emperor was concerned about the nation's image and foreign relations, fearing that erotic art might provoke foreign criticism and dissatisfaction, affecting the international image and reputation of Chinese culture. In the 53rd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, he issued an edict stating, "I govern the world based on the customs and moral values of the people. To cultivate virtuous hearts and promote good customs, it is necessary to uphold Confucian scholarship and strictly prohibit non-sage books. This is an immutable truth. Recently, there has been a proliferation of novels containing obscene language and vulgar content, which is not only seductive to the ignorant but also corrupting to even the learned and gentlemen. This has a profound impact on social customs and must be severely prohibited."

To ban ancient erotic art, Emperor Qianlong implemented several policies and measures, including:

Prohibiting private possession of erotic paintings and books: Emperor Qianlong issued a ban prohibiting private possession of any erotic paintings and books. Violators were subject to criminal punishment or fines.

Prohibiting the creation and dissemination of erotic art: Emperor Qianlong ordered the prohibition of the creation and dissemination of erotic art, and erotic themes were not allowed to appear in official publications, picture albums, or anthologies.

Punishing relevant officials and artists: Emperor Qianlong punished relevant officials and artists, ordering them to stop producing and disseminating erotic art. Some were even exiled or executed.

Collecting and nationalizing the collections: Emperor Qianlong ordered the collection and nationalization of a large number of erotic paintings and books, which were then stored in the court's cultural relics warehouse and the Palace Museum. At the same time, he ordered strict management of the court's cultural relics warehouse and the Palace Museum, prohibiting the loaning or unauthorized outflow of these collections.

These policies and measures were widely implemented at that time, contributing to the reduction and disappearance of erotic art. However, some collections have been preserved to modern times and have become important cultural relics for the study of ancient erotic art.

　　Disclaimer: The above content is sourced from the internet and the copyright belongs to the original author. If there is any infringement of your original copyright, please inform us and we will delete the relevant content as soon as possible.