Wile establishes the conceptual and temporal context of sexual practices in ancient China by using a remarkable historical and philosophical breadth of sources. Discussions include the empirical and metaphysical, medical, cultural, ethical, and religious frameworks through which the Chinese perceived the full spectrum of human sexuality: attraction, love, arousal, reproduction, and sexual practice. The concepts of ching (jing) and chi (qi), by which the Chinese ordered their observation and understanding, are explained in the context of Taoist thought, medical theory, and the course of Chinese history. Translated documents discuss pleasure, the varieties of sexual position, ejaculation, and sexual energy, and include documents such as "Uniting Yin and Yang," "Discourse on the Highest Tao Under Heaven," and reconstructions of Sui and Tang Dynasty classics, including the Ishimpo. Students of Chinese medicine will find the classical herb prescriptions to be of special interest.