Strange Men: Queerying Male Sexuality in Qing Dynasty Zhiguai

This is the second of two chapters which are linked in exploring queer depictions of women and men in zhiguai tales. In both cases, we consider social and representational norms, and thus what constitutes deviance. This chapter extends this discussion by exploring depictions of male sexuality which do not fit within the prevalent tropes for normative masculinity. Though we include consideration of an unusual tale from Pu Songling which appears to depict an asexual character, most of this chapter focuses upon a widespread theme in the zhiguai genre: the ‘dangers’ of sex between men, often depicted through male/male rape (explored through a variety of tales from Ji Yun). Though not depicted positively, and reflecting a wider moral panic present during the Qing Dynasty, we consider how some of these tales queer the anxiety around rape by reframing it as a form of punishment for other kinds of sexual transgressions. We finish with a discussion of Pu Songling’s well-known tale Huang Jiulang, which couches an intimate relationship between two men within ‘sworn brotherhood’. Though the theme of danger persists in this tale, the theme of friendship between the lead characters moves towards the discussion of our final chapter.