Sex Culture Museum of Danxia Mountain in Shaoguan

More Picture

The Sex Culture Museum of Danxia Mountain (丹霞山性文化博物馆) is located in the Danxia Mountain Scenic Area (丹霞山景区) in Shaoguan (韶关), Guangdong Province (广东省), China. The museum officially opened on March 8, 2004 and is the first museum in the world to combine sex culture with natural landscapes, making it a unique cultural attraction in the Danxia Mountain World Geopark.

Development History

Opening of the Museum

On March 8, 2004, the Chinese Sex Culture Museum opened as the first of its kind globally. It combines the rich natural beauty of Danxia Mountain with the exploration of human sexuality, becoming the most significant sex culture attraction in this romantic World Geopark. The museum aims to educate visitors on the complex history of human sexuality, love, and cultural evolution.

Cultural Significance

The museum’s establishment has significantly contributed to the cultural landscape of Danxia Mountain, offering a new layer of cultural value. It aims to foster better understanding of sexual health, promote the integration of physical, mental, and sexual well-being, and highlight the importance of sexual education.

Importance and Value

Filling a Cultural Gap

This museum is the largest folk sex culture museum in the world located within a scenic tourism area. It fills the cultural gap in Guangdong Province (广东省) by being the first dedicated museum for sex culture in the region. It adds a new dimension to Danxia Mountain by showcasing the history of human sexuality, creating an educational space that promotes sexual health and gender equality.

Social Contributions

Since its opening, the museum has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors. It has played a vital role in promoting sex education and sexual health. The Chinese Sexology Society awarded it the title of “Excellent Sex Education Enterprise”, and the Shaoguan City Family Planning Commission honored it as the Shaoguan Sex Health Education Base.

Exhibits and Sections

1. Prehistoric Sexuality

Exhibits from the Shixia Culture (石峡文化) and other archaeological sites, including cave paintings, stone tools, jade artifacts, and tombs, represent the early human connection with sexuality and reproduction. These displays highlight the sacred nature of reproduction for early humans and their religious beliefs surrounding sexuality.

2. Human Sexual Evolution

Artifacts like copper sculptures, clay figurines, Spring Palace paintings (春宫画), and wild coupling illustrations illustrate how human sexuality evolved from animal instincts to more sophisticated behaviors, including significant changes in sexual organs and behavior.

3. Ancient Sexual Worship

Exhibits, including Qinghai female figurines (青海女阴陶罐), Liaoning ceramic ancestors (辽宁陶祖), and Xinjiang fertility rock paintings (新疆性交与生育岩画), showcase ancient worship practices around sexuality, reproductive organs, and fertility.

4. Evolution of Marriage Systems

Displays feature representations of Xiwangmu (西王母) statues, ancestral images, bridal sedan chairs, and marriage contracts. These illustrate the evolution of marriage systems from clan-based to monogamous family structures.

5. Ancient Sexual Education

Artifacts like dowry paintings, sexual tools, and books on the Art of the Bedroom (房中术) highlight early sexual education practices. These include totems, dances, and formal education systems in slave and feudal societies.

6. Ancient Sexual Oppression

Displays featuring foot-binding chairs, iron chastity devices, and other tools of oppression highlight the control of women’s sexuality, including foot-binding and chastity enforcement in ancient China.

7. Religious Art and Sexual Culture

Exhibits such as Taoist Fangzhongshu (房中术) and Buddhist stone carvings like the Joy Buddha (欢喜佛) and Guanyin sending children sculptures reveal how religion influenced sexual culture and practices in ancient China.

8. Literary Art and Sexual Culture

Artifacts like Spring Palace paintings (春宫画), ceramics, poetry, and novels show how ancient sexuality was portrayed in literature and art, influencing societal views and customs.

9. Ancient Abnormal Sexual Behaviors

Artifacts like stone carvings, jade sculptures, and other objects display abnormal sexual behaviors such as homosexuality, fetishism, and other non-heteronormative practices in ancient China.

Cultural and Philosophical Insights

Promoting Sexual Education

The museum advocates for sexual education, gender equality, and sexual health. It promotes the idea that sexuality is a basic human right and emphasizes the importance of healthy sexual relationships in fostering well-being and harmony in families.

Harmonizing IQ, EQ, and Sexual Intelligence

The museum’s mission aligns with the idea of developing a balanced harmony between intellectual, emotional, and sexual intelligence. It encourages visitors to consider the integration of physical health, mental health, and sexual health, while appreciating the deeper connections between sex and cultural development.

The Sex Culture Museum of Danxia Mountain (丹霞山性文化博物馆) is a unique and thought-provoking space that provides insight into the cultural evolution of sexuality while promoting health, education, and gender equality.