Jou Pu Tuan : The Prayer Mat of Flesh

Jou Pu Tuan is widely considered one of the most fascinating classics of Chinese literature: First, as a classic of Oriental eroticism Second, as a document of manners and morals Third, as a brilliant, well-constructed novel, filled with serene good humor enlivened with bursts of hilarity. This novel of the Ming period was first published in 1634. Its author, Li Yu, writer and dramatist of legendarv wisdom, was called "a master of the art of life." The English translation derives from the German text which was fashioned by Dr. Franz Kuhn, long noted for his skill in making authoritative versions of Chinese classics accessible to a large public.