Asian Art

A Study of Chinese Love and ‘Subtle Pleasure’ Paintings

16 October 2025

Grace Tu

Spring Waves of Desire

The expressions of love and desire in ancient China display a blend of subtlety and openness. Through various forms of literature and art, people can not only appreciate the romance and profound affection of love but also catch glimpses of the genuine presence of the body and human desire. This multi-layered expression endows 'love' in Chinese culture with rich and profound connotations.

The pure and idealised expression of affection between lovers is a recurring theme in Chinese decorative arts, often depicted through intimate scenes and narrative imagery. Among the most celebrated sources is The Romance of the Western Chamber, a Yuan dynasty drama by Wang Shifu, which tells the story of the relationship between the scholar Zhang Sheng and the young woman Cui Yingying. Centred on the tension between emotion (qing) and propriety (li), the tale challenges conventional social constraints and affirms the legitimacy and idealism of romantic love, themes that have resonated across centuries in both literature and visual culture.

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In contrast, chungongtu, often translated as ‘subtle pleasures’ paintings, refers to a genre of traditional Chinese art depicting intimate and erotic scenes, offering a more discreet yet realistic perspective on human experience. Its origins can be traced to the Han dynasty, with the genre reaching a particular flourishing during the Ming and Qing periods.

Such works fulfilled a range of social and cultural functions. They were, in some contexts, used as tools for sex education, sometimes included as part of a bride’s dowry in the form of ‘marriage paintings’ intended to instruct newlyweds. They also served as visual guides to the ‘arts of the bedchamber’, often incorporating Daoist concepts of the harmonious balance between yin and yang, alongside ideas of health preservation and vitality. In addition, these images were sometimes believed to possess apotropaic properties, thought to ward off fire or malevolent spirits, and were occasionally concealed within architectural spaces or domestic furnishings, giving rise to the term ‘fire-averting pictures’.

From an artistic perspective, chungongtu should not be regarded as merely vulgar or sensational. Works associated with Ming dynasty masters such as Tang Yin and Qiu Ying display refined compositions, elegantly rendered figures, and carefully constructed settings, often situated within gardens or scholars’ studios. Their delicate brushwork and subtle palettes reflect a sophisticated fusion of literati aesthetics with themes of intimacy and desire. With the expansion of commercial printing in the mid-to-late Ming period, such imagery became more widely disseminated, forming an important strand within the history of Chinese printmaking.

春漫情潮：中國愛戀秘戲圖考

中國古代對戀愛與情慾的表現，呈現出含蓄與開放並存的特點。透過文學與藝術的各種形式，人們既能體會愛情的浪漫與深情，也能窺見身體與慾望的真實存在。這種多層次的表達，使中國文化中的「愛情」具有豐富而深遠的內涵。

對戀人之間情感的純潔與理想性表達，可見於LOT 96 綠彩戀人嬉戲圖杯 , LOT 101 綠彩戀人夜會圖盤及 LOT 102 青花西廂記人物故事盤等。《西廂記》是元代王實甫描寫才子佳人愛情的經典之作，講述張生與崔鶯鶯的戀情發展。作品以「情」與「禮」的衝突為核心，呈現對封建婚姻制度的挑戰，強調自由戀愛的價值，也賦予愛情正當性與理想色彩。

相較之下，春宮圖又稱秘戲圖，為中國古代描繪性愛場景的繪畫形式，是中國古代藝術中較為隱秘卻真實的一面。最早可追溯至漢代，至明清時期達到鼎盛。春宮圖具有多重社會功能。其一為性教育工具，舊時婚禮常以「嫁妝畫」形式將其贈予新娘，啟蒙夫婦之道，如LOT 92《寬心圖-春冊頁》水墨設色絹本及 LOT 94 硬木嵌玻璃畫秘戲圖妝奩。其二為房中術輔助，圖中常結合道家的陰陽雙修理論，強調「採陰補陽」與養生之法。其三為壓勝辟邪，民間相信春宮圖能驅火災、避鬼神，常將其置於房梁或書箱中, 因此又稱避火圖，如LOT 93 通草紙畫秘戲圖。

藝術表現上，春宮圖並非低俗之作。明代畫家唐寅、仇英等人所繪春宮圖，構圖雅緻，人物姿態生動，背景多為園林書齋，線條流暢，色彩淡雅，體現了文人審美與情色想像的結合。此類圖像在明中後期隨著商業出版繁榮而大量刊印，成為版畫藝術的重要分支。

春宮圖揭示了傳統禮教社會中隱秘的欲望世界，與《西廂記》等情愛文學互為表裡，分別代表了精神層面與肉體層面的愛情表達，兩者並非對立，而是在中國傳統文化中形成一種微妙的平衡：既重視倫理規範，又承認人之常情。如LOT 95 壽山石百寶嵌《西廂記》秘戲圖桌屏，表面爲戀人嬉戲於庭院樓閣圖，內套秘戲圖。其暗春宮巧妙設計，將不同的顔色的壽山石質地利用得細緻入微，不僅為清代鑲嵌藝術的杰作，更為中國愛戀情慾的完美縮影。

Specialist

Grace Tu

Head of Asian Art

Department