Emperor Ai of Han - “断袖之癖"
lydia1981
November 25, 2008, 08:22 PM posted in General DiscussionIn ancient China, there was a famous emperor, 
汉哀帝 （Emperor Ai of Han), who may be the first (and only) gay emperor of China!
He had a relationship with a minor official, Dong Xian, which power grew as their relationship developed. Eventually, when Emperor Ai died, Dong Xian was forced to commit suicide.
There is a 成语 which describes the relationship between the two, "断袖之癖"
哀帝对董贤的爱之深，可用一个例子来说明。一次午睡，董贤枕着哀帝的袖子睡着了。哀帝想起身，却又不忍惊醒董贤，随手拔剑割断了衣袖。后人将同性恋称为“断袖之癖”，便是源出于此。
(http://ks.cn.yahoo.com/question/1407011810118.html)
哀帝 - emperor Ai
董贤 - Dong Xian
袖子 【xiu4zi】- sleeve
枕 - 【zhen3】 - rest one's head on
起身 - here: to get up
不忍 - cannot bear to
惊醒 - wake up with a start
拔剑 - 【ba2jian4】 - draw one's sword
割断 - 【ge1duan4】to cut (off)
lydia1981
November 26, 2008, 05:11 PMHi glosoli,
you're welcome! thanks for your corrections, I didn't really study the subject, but of course there must have been more 'bisexual' emperors. Do you know why there were so many during the Han dynasty? Was it different in this aspect to other dynasties?
glosoli
December 07, 2008, 10:41 AMI'm not really sure why there were so many 'bisexual' emperors in the Han dynasty. My guess is that in those days men with power and money could do whatever they wanted to and without any kind of religious based moral system there was no one getting mad.
Some clips from wikipedia (homosexuality in China):
Scholar Pan Guangdan (潘光旦) came to the conclusion that nearly every emperor in the Han Dynasty had one or more male sex partners. There are also descriptions of lesbians in some history books. It is believed homosexuality was popular in the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties.
Most homosexual behavior with a male courtesan or "singing boy" was associated with the luxurious and decadent behavior of the highest elite among the gentry and merchant classes.
glosoli
November 26, 2008, 01:44 AMHey, thanks for posting this story! I did a presentation on this emperor in my college Chinese class last year. Slightly awkward in front of my conservative Chinese teacher, but a definite winner for sure.
You wrote that he may be the first and only gay emperor in China, that seems a big underestimate in my mind. From what I've read all the Han dynasty emperors but one were openly bisexual (they had to have kids remember). Something tells me male concubines have always been around in the gilded halls of the emperor's home.