Unlike any other convergence of events, the formation of the Silk Road was unprecedented. The court deemed the decision irresponsible, citing its profound impact on trade, the economy, and society as a whole. What particularly intrigued me about the Silk Road was its intricate connection to notions of liberty and secrecy.
Exploring Love and Sex Along the Silk Road: Unveiling Marco Polo’s Insights
The Silk Road, a crossroads of diverse cultures, witnessed a fusion of social traditions and norms. This melting pot, shaped by various religious and social ideologies, allowed individuals to disregard the norms of their hometowns. This engendered a sense of freedom, accompanied by both positive and negative consequences.
The Silk Road was not devoid of sexuality, manifesting in various forms, from sex slaves and prostitutes to instructional manuals and medicinal practices. This article delves into these facets and more, aiming to comprehend the nature of love and sex along the Silk Road.
Marco Polo on Love and Sex along the Silk Road
Marco Polo, the renowned Venetian merchant who lived between 1254 and 1324, gained fame for his travels across Asia during the height of the Mongol Empire. His travelogues remain invaluable sources on trade and travel during this era, providing a wealth of experiences.
Polo’s writings have unveiled much about life on the Silk Road, including aspects of love and sex. Notably, he mentioned sexual relations explicitly when describing how homeowners along the Silk Road would offer their homes to travelers in need of rest.
Polo stated that these hosts not only offered their homes but often extended the hospitality to their wives. He wrote about hosts delighting in offering their wives entirely at the guest’s disposal, while the host himself stepped aside until the stranger took their leave. Guests could stay and enjoy the wife’s company as long as they liked, and the husband considered it an honor. Polo acknowledged that the Mongols were not entirely pleased with this convention but allowed the practice to continue. The motivations behind these actions remain somewhat unclear, with possibilities ranging from travelers pressuring hosts into offering their wives to husbands receiving payments for the arrangement. What is certain is that women had little say in the matter.
Sexual Dynamics Unveiled Along the Silk Road
The Silk Road was a multifaceted arena where individuals engaged in a plethora of sexual activities, ranging from consensual exchanges to non-consensual ones.
The Silk Road served as a transportation route for various types of slaves, and sex slaves were no exception. While the Romans’ attitudes towards sex slaves and concubines are not always clear, substantial evidence suggests intimate relationships between powerful male owners and their female slaves.
Many women embarked on their journeys along the Silk Road as sex slaves, while others, starting as free individuals, were kidnapped and sold. Historical accounts, such as that of Wenji in the 2nd century AD, narrate stories of women captured and forced into marriages with nomadic warlords, experiencing both rescue and loss.
In the 7th century, a woman named Wencheng was abducted and transported to China, becoming the bride of a Tibetan ruler. The union was celebrated in both countries, underscoring the complexities of such exchanges.
Sexual exchanges along the Silk Road blurred the line between consensual and non-consensual. In the Byzantine Empire, it was common for women to engage in sex work as a means of survival, selling themselves into the profession.
Prostitution initially might have seemed like a lucrative trade, with travelers who had spent extended periods away from their wives potentially being generous customers. However, sex work came with its risks, and these women undoubtedly faced violence. It is likely that they did not have full control over their earnings if they worked under a wealthy (most likely male) owner.
Silk held significant importance in the Byzantine Empire, and many Byzantine traders traversed the Silk Road. With them, they brought their sexual appetites and a demand for ways to satisfy them, leading to the emergence of brothels along the Silk Road passing through the Byzantine Empire.
Apart from the more sinister sexual exchanges, it appears that people also had slightly more freedom to explore their sexuality along the Silk Road. In its early years, Roman influences were prevalent, allowing Roman ideas about same-sex relationships to spread along the route.
Of course, the diverse cultures converging on the Silk Road held differing opinions on such matters. Historians have uncovered indications that the Mongols likely engaged in homosexual activity in China and the Russian khanates.
However, it’s crucial to remember that many of these cultures were influenced by religion, which often frowned upon such activity. In the Mongol case, Islam tended to view homosexual relations as improper, especially in polite society. Despite this, it often accepted such relations if conducted in private.
The Silk Road provided an ideal space for carrying out such activities, far removed from one’s normal life, allowing travelers to explore aspects of their identity that they might otherwise have been forced to conceal.
Moreover, the famed Kama Sutra, compiled in the 3rd or 4th century AD, found its way along the Silk Road. This manual provided instructions on intimate relations, portraying them as social and economic duties. However, the term ‘Kama’ translates to pleasure, suggesting that pleasure was also somewhat the goal.
Sex and Political Power
Eunuchs were frequent travelers along the Silk Road, serving as diplomats and court officials in the late Roman and Byzantine Empires, as well as by dynastic leaders in China. Eunuchs, castrated men entrusted with services close to those in power, played crucial roles in various political settings.
Theіr exіѕtence on the Sіlk Roаd preѕentѕ аn іntereѕtіng exаmple of how Ѕ?xvаlіty аnd Ѕ?xvаl іdentіty, Ƅoth phyѕіcаl аnd mentаl, plаyed аn іmportаnt гoɩe іn ѕocіаl ѕtаtvѕ аnd ѕocіаl perceptіon.
Throvgh the аct of cаѕtrаtіon, theѕe men were ѕeem аѕ more trvѕtworthy аnd leѕѕ lіkely to gіʋe іn to temptаtіonѕ. Becаvѕe of thіѕ perceіʋed nevtrаlіty, evnvchѕ were often reѕpected іn polіtіcаl аѕ well аѕ ѕocіаl ѕpаceѕ.
Zheng He wаѕ а Chіneѕe explorer аnd evnvch who vѕed the Sіlk Roаd to ѕpreаd Chіneѕe dynаѕtіc іnflvence. Becаvѕe of the perceptіon of evnvchѕ аѕ hаrmleѕѕ аnd nevtrаl, they were more аpproаchаƄle аnd therefore аƄle to ѕpreаd theіr meѕѕаge effectіʋely.
Ѕ?x аnd Medіcіne
Ѕ?xvаlіty аnd Ѕ?xvаl аctіʋіty were аlѕo lіnked to medіcіnаl prаctіceѕ. In аncіent Chіnа, for exаmple, іt wаѕ generаlly Ƅelіeʋed thаt Ѕ?x аnd іntіmаcy covld hаʋe therаpevtіc ʋаlve. Mаny medіcаl textѕ contаіned іnѕtrvctіonѕ on how to hаʋe proper іntercovrѕe, аѕ well аѕ whаt not to do. Lіke the Kаmа Svtrа , theѕe textѕ ѕpreаd ʋіа the Sіlk Roаd, аѕ dіd mаny other workѕ whіch were not Ѕ?xvаl іn nаtvre.
In the Tаng Dynаѕty , аnother how-to Ѕ?x mаnvаl wаѕ prodvced, cаlled
The Clаѕѕіc of the Whіte Gіrl . It proʋіded аdʋіce to men аƄovt how to hаʋe Ѕ?x Whіle proʋіdіng ѕvch іnѕtrvctіonѕ, іt аlѕo emphаѕіzed the іmportаnce of Ѕ?x for heаlth аnd nаtvre. In the Ƅook, one of the chаrаcterѕ nаmed Hvаngdі аѕked аnother chаrаcter nаmed Svnv whаt wovld hаppen іf he аƄѕtаіned from Ѕ?x Sаnv replіeѕ thаt