LGBTQIA+ Throughout the History of Asia

Even though LGBTQIA+ people have existed since ancient times, the acceptance of these folks has only been normalized in the recent century. Concepts of homosexuality and queerness have become common knowledge today. While such concepts are nothing new, they were considered taboo till a few decades ago and those associated with them were disregarded. Thankfully, the changing times have contributed positively to the betterment of those who are LGBTQIA+. It is a hard pill to swallow but they have always existed as part of subcultures worldwide and were even revered in some cultures because of their unique qualities. Let’s have a look.

China

Homosexuality has existed since ancient times in China. Particularly believed to be popular in the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, several records point towards the prevalence of male companions of Chinese emperors. The writers of the Liu Song dynasty, in the 3rd century, recorded that homosexuality was as common as heterosexuality. The Chinese phrase “yútáo duànxiù” which is a general phrase used to refer to homosexuality evolved through the popularity of two anecdotes of gay romance in ancient China. Historian Han Fei recorded the relationship between Mizi Xia and Duke Ling of Wei. The story of the “bitten peach” in which Mizi Xia shared a succulent peach with his lover was called as yútáo by later historians. In the meanwhile, the story of the cut sleeve which is about Emperor Ai and his lover, Dongxian started a new trend in the court of the emperor known as duànxiù. The story of the cut sleeve narrates that once, Dongxian fell asleep on top of Emperor Ai’s sleeve. To not awaken his lover, Ai cut his sleeve.

Historians did not so efficiently record homosexual relations between women as those between the emperors and their male lovers. That is why such records are rare. However, historian Ying Shao (140-206) did record palace women maintaining relations like a traditional marriage, known as dui shi. 

Homosexual relations were quite common in China and negative perceptions of this “deviance” only began to enter the realm after the rise of the Tang dynasty when foreign visitors influenced sexual outlooks in China. The term jijian was coined to refer to homosexuality as illicit sexuality.

Japan

Homosexuality has been an integral part of Japanese society. Male homosexual relations were popularly known as nanshuko. Other historical practices identified by historians are wakashudo and shudo.

Nanshuko relationships existed in places where males came into close contact with each other due to their way of life such as monasteries and in samurai shudo relationships in which the older male (already a samurai) tutored the youngster, a minor known as wakashu, in the martial arts and other areas. These relations were accepted ways of life in which sexual relations were maintained till the boy became an adult. Pederasty, which refers to sexual relations between an adult man and a boy, were common in Japan through such sanctioned institutions where the older male was known as nenja and the younger male was known as wakashu. 

Male prostitution was also common and as wakashu (preadult boys) were considered desirable, many adult males would dress up according to the defined norms of appearance for wakashu to attract male clients. Kabuki actors would work as prostitutes and onna-gata, those who played female roles, and wakashu-gata, those who played adolescent roles were favored. Onna-gata actors, those who engaged in cross-dressing, were thus also featured in art and novels. Since both onnagata and wakashu engaged in sexual relations with men and women, they were “bisexual” in modern terms. Males who were purely homosexual also existed.

India

Several ancient Indian texts mention queerness, such as Kritivassa Ramayana, which narrates the story of King Bhagiratha being born of two women and the Mahabharata, in which Shikhandi, a female, was reborn as a male in her thirst for revenge. 

Homosexuality has not always been accepted in Indian history, even though ancient Indian culture had no inhibitions against it. There are instances of homosexual sex being described in Kamasutra, the 4th-century text, and a variety of genders and sexual identities. Chapter Nine explicitly discusses oral sex, and sexual activity between transgender people. Descriptions of feminine and masculine homosexuals are detailed in the treatise. The chapter named Purushayita mentions svairini, a type of woman who engages in sexual activities with other women. The Arthashastra also has mentions of homosexual sex, though in the context of ascribing suitable punishments for participating in such acts.

Unfortunately, due to the prohibition of homosexual sex by Islam, the Mughal rule in India led to changes in perceptions as individuals were punished strictly. There are still exceptions though, as Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire himself, wrote of his love for a boy named Baburi in his memoir. Sufi saints such as Bulleh Shah, Sarmad Kashani and Shah Hussain included mentions of homosexuality in their poems, much fuelled by their desire for their male lovers.

In addition, architectural marvels of ancient India such as the Khajuraho Temple, the Sun Temple at Konark, the Rajrani Temple in Bhubaneshwar, the cave paintings of Ajanta and Ellora, etc depict same-sex couples engaging in sexual activities. 

The Hijra or the third gender community in India have been revered since ancient times as it is believed that they possess divine blessings that in turn allow them to bless others.

South Korea

The earliest recorded example of queerness in South Korea is of the revolt against King Hyegong who was the 36th ruler of the Silla Dynasty. He was killed at the age of 22 by his noblemen who revolted because of his “femininity”. Two rulers from the Goryeo Dynasty, King Mokjong and King Gongmin were recorded to keep male lovers known as wonchung in their courts. The same acceptance was not given to female same-sex relationships though. Royal Noble Consort Sun, second consort of the then Joseon crown prince, was stripped of her status and turned out of the palace after it was found out that she had sexual relations with one of her ladies’ maids. 

As with the rampant homosexuality within the ranks of the Samurai in Japan, the Hwarang of Korea were recorded to be explicit in same-sex love. Their sexual prowess has been recorded in the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms.

Homosexuality was quite common in the Goryeo dynasty. In the Joseon dynasty, the introduction of neo-Confucianism led to the denigration of same-sex relations and such activities disappeared from the public eye.

Taiwan

While no notable historical records exist that record the presence of specific LGBTQ+ behaviour in Taiwan, the term Tongzhi was used to refer to homosexuals in political arenas. Due to the indifference of the major religions, Buddhism and Taoism, to same-sex love, there were no laws for or against homosexuality. It was only after the country came under Chinese and later, Japanese rule, that queerphobia was introduced through the formation of anti-homosexual decrees. 

A temple dedicated to the god of homosexual love, Tu’er Shen, was destroyed by the Chinese in the 17th century. Since then, it was rebuilt in 2006. In 2019, Taiwan became the first country in the region’s history to legalize same-sex marriage.

Thailand

Homosexuality has been recorded in Thailand since the Ayutthaya period (1351 to 1767 CE). Royal concubines were known to have lesbian relations as recorded in the ‘Samutthakhot Kham Chan’, a treatise from the same period. Temple murals depicting male and female same-sex couples have also been discovered. 

The term kathoey is used to refer to those of the third gender, neither male nor female but another gender entirely. This concept is assumed to have evolved from Thai creation myths and Hindu-Buddhist mythology.

Philippines

In the 1500s, records show that same-sex marriage in the Philippines was already accepted, as recorded in the Boxer Codex. Before Spanish colonization, numerous accounts elaborated on the influence of gender non-conforming individuals and the positions such a status granted them. Many of these individuals took on the role of babaylan, a type of shaman, and held a social status that was equal to that of the ruling nobility. Babylans were born male, female or intersex and did not follow the traditional gender norms prevalent in the rest of the world. Males who transcended the roles prescribed to their gender were known as asogs.

The Thai god of fertility and agriculture, Lakapati was depicted with both male and female attributes. The possession of both masculine and feminine energies by the god was an important representation of queerness in Filipino culture.

Indonesia

Homosexuality has been considered a taboo in Indonesia since ancient times. Due to this, it has rarely been recorded in official accounts. However, local terms do exist. Homosexual relations between males were defined by proper terms for the older and younger males, Induk Jawi and Anak Jawi respectively. Local mosques known as Surau usually served as the grounds for a lot of male-male relationships, usually between older and younger students. Such relations were known as mairilan. Lesbian relationships between female students were called asamrot-amrotan and musahaqoh. The Javanese manuscript Serat Centhini, created and printed around 1814 in Surakarta, includes various references to bisexual and homosexual activities within Javanese culture.

In conclusion, LGBTQIA+ individuals have been a part of Asian history since ancient times. While acceptance and perceptions have fluctuated over the centuries, historical records indicate that homosexuality and queerness were not uncommon in various Asian cultures. From ancient China to feudal Japan and historic India, there were instances of LGBTQIA+ individuals living openly and engaging in same-sex relationships. Despite the challenges and changes in societal attitudes, the presence of LGBTQIA+ individuals throughout Asian history is a testament to the diversity and complexity of human sexuality and gender identity. It is essential to recognize and celebrate the contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals in shaping the rich tapestry of Asian history and culture.