Synopsis
This work of classic Chinese erotic fiction recounts the adventures of a brilliant young student who, endowed with exceptional beauty and grace, devotes himself to a life of pure eroticism. The story concerns one man and six women in a tale of the erotic and moral.
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Review
What separates Li Yu's novel from [Fanny Hill or Justine], however, is its humor: it is one of the funniest books ever written.-- "New Yorker"
One of the great classics of Chinese erotica, The Carnal Prayer Mat certainly gets pretty raunchy in places. It stands out not for this, however, but for its brilliant comedy and satire; it could be read as a sparklingly witty light novel even by those without an interest in erotica.-- "www.dannyreviews.com"
From the Back Cover
In the three hundred years since its initial publication, Li Yu's The Carnal Prayer Mat has been widely read in China, where it is recognized as a benchmark of erotic literature and currently enjoys the distinction of being a banned-in-Beijing classic. The story centers on Scholar Vesperus, a handsome orphan and student of Zen. Before taking his monastic vows, Vesperus embarks on a career of licentiousness. His adventures as "hero of the boudoir, a champion of sex" take both comic and calamitous turns, until eventually he attains "enlightenment on the carnal prayer mat".
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