En los 300 años desde su publicación inicial, el libro de Li Yu ha sido ampliamente leído en China, donde es reconocido como un referente de la literatura erótica y actualmente disfruta de la distinción de ser un clásico prohibido en Beijing.

La alfombrilla de los goces y los rezos

La alfombrilla de los goces y los rezos (la traducción literal del chino sería : La alfombrilla de rezos para meditar sobre lo carnal) apareció en 1657 y, como la mayoría de las novelas chinas de la época, se publicó con seudónimo, aunque siempre se supo que su autor era el polémico ensayista, cuentista, novelista, poeta y dramaturgo Li Yu. Esta obra clásica del erotismo, y también una de las más célebres novelas chinas, circuló libremente desde su primera edición, durante los tres siglos siguientes, hasta la creación de la República Popular comunista en 1949.
En 1990, se publicó, por primera vez en Estados Unidos, la versión íntegra en inglés de Patrick Hanan, profesor de literatura china en Harvard University, quien trabajó a la vez sobre un manuscrito que se conserva en el Instituto de Cultura Oriental de la Universidad de Tokio, y sobre la edición impresa más completa, de la que la Harvard-Yenching Library tiene dos ejemplares. Nosotros, para nuestra edición, la primera en lengua española, hemos tomado como referencia la de Patrick Hanan.

Li Yu states this is a morality tale, and indeed ‘what comes around goes around’ when it comes to adultery in the plot of The Carnal Prayer Mat. He emphasizes the need to focus on that message, while (wink wink nudge nudge) salaciously describing acts that would get the book banned throughout the years and in present day China. As for the erotica, it’s laugh out loud funny in some places, and in others a confirmation that men’s insecurities and silly fantasies have changed very little over time. If you’re looking for either a morality story or (I suppose more likely given its reputation) a steamy novel in isolation, you may be disappointed.

On the other hand, this is a light, reasonably fun read, and I admire Li Yu for flouting convention and being so original and daring in 1657. Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (or Fanny Hill), written 100 years later in the West, may be more delightful for the beauty of its prose and probably more, er, arousing, but The Carnal Prayer Mat is better as mocking satire of anything and everything, from puritanical Confucianism to the peccadilloes and self-importance of his characters. You sense the author is making light of them all, and in doing so, making light of us to this day, smiling at us devilishly across time and space. ( )

[SPOILER] What a downer. Nothing like a self-mutilating castration at the end of an erotic novel to make you feel frisky! ( )

The Before Midnight Scholar spurns Buddhist enlightenment in favour of the 'prayer mat of the flesh'. He seeks and finds erotic experience. Although its descriptions of erotic activity are quite explicit, I would call this more a ribald novel (maybe like 'Tom Jones') than a pornographic or purely erotic one. Unlike a pornography, the actions of the vain scholar have consequences, including pregnancies, tragedy and death. Nevertheless the tone of most of the book is quite light and humorous, even mocking at times. The novel pokes fun at Confucianism, Buddhism, the vanity of academic scholars and the virtue of ladies. The characters are well described. There are some great supporting characters such as K'un-lun's Rival the noble bandit, Dr Iron Door the prudish Confucian scholar and the itinerant surgeon who operates on the Before Midnight Scholar's appendage.

Ultimately the tale is a moral one, with just punishments and repentance. There is an earnest afterword by the author which urges men to stick to their own wives and enjoy sex in moderation. ( )