The particular refinement of Chinese culture is manifested when it comes to understanding its conception of sexuality and the secrets of its erotic customs. As a fundamental part of existence, the sexual world continues to be thought out and organized in ancient China even in its smallest details and circumstances: alcoba manuals, illustrated books, recipes, pornographic accounts, breviaries or codices determine the perfect doctrine and technique for the realization of all sexual activities.

After the long Puritan tradition of Confucianism, many of these texts were censored or relegated to secret archives. R. H. Van Gulik researched private collections and libraries, both in China and Japan, to gain access to many of these forbidden materials and thus provide an unexpectedly rich view of sex customs in China from 1500 BC until the establishment of the Ch'ing dynasty in 1664 AD.