Abstract:

Many notes by scholars in Song Dynasty record the extramarital sexual relationships and social attitudes toward them in Tang Dynasty and Five Dynasties, making up for the inefficiency of the records in Tang Dynasty. In Tang Dynasty, adult men and women could exchange with each other freely due to comparatively lenient social environment. Usually a male was the active initiator in an extramarital affair, but sometimes a female could also agree to have a relationship for some particular reasons. Extramarital relationships existed on various levels of the social hierarchy, but took place more frequently in the upper class. The market prostitutes in the town made a living by offering sexual services to men, infecting normal family relationship. Social etiquette and customs were very tolerant to extramarital relationships and had no strict regulations on premarital sex. However, despite the leniency, extramarital affairs like incest, though not a rare phenomenon, were disapproved. Judging from the laws in Tang Dynasty, extramarital relationship were not strictly prohibited or regulated so long as family, strain and social hierarchical structures were not affected. In view of this, if congenial environment permits, comparatively unrestrained sexual relations will occur naturally, as is shown in notes novels which take delight in the themes of extramarital affairs.

Key words:  notes in Song Dynasty, extramarital relationships, sexual service, social attitude, Society of Tang Dynasty and Five Dynasties