Houses of Joy

By: Wu Wu Meng ~ Editor: Sinclair Beiles

Houses of Joy ~~ Adobe eBook

Adobe eBook

Platforms
Windows Vista / XP / 2000, Mac OS X Tiger

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Advanced navigation, search, bookmarks, and multiple viewing options.

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Houses of Joy ~~ Microsoft Reader eBook

Microsoft Reader eBook

Platforms
Windows 98+, Tablet PC, Pocket PC 2003

Features
ClearType, advanced navigation, search, personal library, bookmarks, notes, and drawing.

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Houses of Joy Summary:

One of the funniest moments in the history of Olympia came when the South African poet Sinclair Beiles entered Girodias' office with sheets of paper adorned by Chinese characters. Telling Girodias a story about youth spent among missionaries in China, Beiles indicated his reams of parchment, and stated that they were unique erotic writings from that nation, and all he'd need to translate this phenomenal document would be some money each week for a new chapter... As it turns out, Beiles was working from an earlier translation of the 15th century erotic classic Jin Ping Mei, a work about Hsi Men (Ximen Qing) and his six wives that, with its graphic descriptions and instructions, is said to have inspired the Kama Sutra, among other books. The Jin, Ping and Mei in the title are the later three wives, and the most interesting ones for our purposes. Beiles simplified and improved upon his translation, removing tedious interviews with court officials and drawing out some of the more intimate scenes. The work is also known, in English, as "Golden Lotus," "The Love Pagoda," "The Six Wives of Hsi Men," etc...