The Tao of Seduction

The Tao of Seduction consists of two texts on ancient Taoist sexual alchemy, discovered while excavating the Mawangdui archaeological site in Hunan province. Lin Liao Yi, a specialist in Chinese literature and philosophy, has translated and commented on this two-thousand-year-old treatise on ancient Chinese ways of love, which teaches the art of “nourishing life.” The first of these texts is a series of questions, from the emperor to his high functionaries, concerning Taoist precepts for enjoying a healthy and spiritual sex life. For example, the advisors recommend breathing only five times through the mouth during lovemaking to energize the members of the body. In addition, this portion of the book includes recipes for erotic dishes such as pan-fried beef, tea with dates and eggs, and sheep’s kidney. The second half of the book is illustrated with sexual positions, including the tiger’s ballad, the grasshopper’s landing, the caterpillar on a stem, the Phoenix’s takeoff, and others. This title is bound in the style of a traditional Chinese text, along with a lavish casing.