Homosexuality in China historically was regarded as a normal facet of life and the existence of homosexuality in China has been well documented since ancient times. Many early Chinese emperors are speculated to have had homosexual relationships, accompanied by heterosexual ones. Opposition to homosexuality and the rise of homophobia did not become firmly established in China until the 19th and 20th centuries, through the Westernization efforts of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. Sodomy was banned in the People's Republic of China, until it was legalized in 1997.
Read more about Homosexuality In China: Terminology in China, Traditional Views of Homosexuality in China, Same-sex Love in Literature, Slang in Contemporary Chinese Gay Culture
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“In a country where misery and want were the foundation of the social structure, famine was periodic, death from starvation common, disease pervasive, thievery normal, and graft and corruption taken for granted, the elimination of these conditions in Communist China is so striking that negative aspects of the new rule fade in relative importance.”
—Barbara Tuchman (1912–1989)