Western ways add spice to sex lives in Taiwan

TAIWAN residents have more active sex lives and liberal attitudes than their mainland compatriots, but traditional concepts on sexuality and male-female roles still persist, according to the first survey on sexual attitudes and behaviour conducted both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The survey, which was carried out by a team of Taiwan researchers on behalf of the China Times Weekly, took a year to complete. Taiwan interviews were carried out by telephone, while Chinese authorities obtained the results through a written questionnaire. Preliminary results will be published in the weekly's next issue dated October 29 and a more detailed report will be issued in December. The team interviewed 1,500 people in three mainland cities - Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai - and 1,018 in Taiwan via questionnaire and face-to-face interviews. In an article co-written with China Times Weekly editor Hsu Ching-yun, Wang Jui-chi, a psychology tutor at Fu Jen University and a member of the team, said that in the past, sexual activity ''could only be done, but not spoken of except in indirect or quasi-poetic terms''. Ms Wang said the survey found that sexual practices and attitudes among ethnic Chinese in both Taiwan and the mainland had ''experienced an evident change'' due in large part to the ''impact of Western culture and the development of a more open society''. The survey indicates that Taiwan residents tend to be more active and experimental in their sex lives than mainland Chinese and are more likely to have had sexual experiences before marriage. But common views - possibly reflecting the shared cultural heritage - persists in such matters as clear preferences for male children and views on marriage. For example, the survey found that 21 per cent of 870 Taiwan respondents have intercourse on average ''four to five times'' a month; 15.5 per cent said they have sex between eight times or more a month; and 14 per cent chose ''two to three times'' a month. Some 26 per cent of 1,350 mainland respondents said they had sex only ''two or three times'' a month, followed by ''four or five times'' with 20 per cent and ''zero to one times'' with 19 per cent. Only 11.7 per cent said they had sex more than eight times a month on average. The survey also found that Taiwan residents are more experimental, with more than 13 per cent saying that they ''frequently changed positions'', compared to only nine per cent on the mainland. About 43 per cent of the Taiwanese surveyed said they ''sometimes changed positions'', compared to 39 per cent on the mainland. Nearly 41 per cent of mainlanders only used one position, compared to 23 per cent of Taiwanese. Ms Wang noted that respondents on both Taiwan and the mainland who had sex more frequently and in more variety and who had higher degrees of education generally reported greater satisfaction with marriage. Just about 40 per cent of respondents on Taiwan and the mainland had their first sexual experiences while between 20 to 24 years of age, with 13 per cent on Taiwan and 10 per cent on the mainland saying this occurred before they reached 20. Nearly 48 per cent of Taiwan respondents said their first sexual experience occurred before marriage, compared with 23 per cent of the mainland Chinese surveyed. Usually this experience was with the respondent's future husband or wife (68 per cent in Taiwan and 90 per cent on the mainland). But 30 per cent of Taiwan respondents had their first sex act with someone else, compared to about seven per cent on the mainland. Indeed, 57 per cent of the mainland Chinese respondents said their first sexual act took place on the night of their marriage, compared to 32 per cent of Taiwanese. Taiwan residents tend to have more sexual partners. Ten per cent reported having five or more sexual partners, compared to less than one per cent on the mainland. But most respondents said they had only one sex partner, with 86 per cent of mainlanders saying they had sex with only one person compared to 67 per cent of the Taiwan respondents. Despite the differences in activity, more than 80 per cent of respondents in both territories said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their sexual lives. Still, Ms Wang reported that the survey found that on both sides of the Strait, people who were younger and had higher degrees of education varied their positions more and enjoyed sex more. About a third of all respondents said they ''frequently had pleasure'' during sex - 33.5 per cent on Taiwan and 34.4 per cent in the three Chinese cities. But more respondents said they ''sometimes'' had pleasure during sex, including 51.5 per cent of 1,360 respondents on the mainland and 44.1 per cent of 869 Taiwanese. The survey also found that Taiwanese have more tolerant attitudes than mainland Chinese on practices such as premarital sex and would take softer action regarding a partner involved in extramarital sex. Although a majority on both sides of the strait expressed opposition to couples in love having sex without getting married, 32 per cent of Taiwan respondents approved, compared to only over 14 per cent on the mainland. While nearly half of respondents on Taiwan and the mainland said they would try to persuade their partner to cease an extramarital affair and revive the marriage, more Chinese - more than 25 per cent compared to 16 per cent on Taiwan - were inclined to file for divorce. Surprisingly, 34 per cent of Taiwan respondents said they used no birth control method at all, compared to only just over 10 per cent of mainland respondents. Beijing's intensive family planning efforts were reflected in the statement by nearly half of the 1,329 mainland Chinese respondents that they used contraceptive devices or medication, compared to only 35 per cent of Taiwanese. One of the survey's more disturbing findings was the fact that sterilisation on both sides is apparently seen as an option only for women, despite the fact that the operation for males is far simpler and safer. Almost 20 per cent of Taiwan respondents and more than 23 per cent of mainland Chinese said their main birth control practice was female sterilisation, compared to less than two per cent in both territories for male sterilisation. The survey also found that Taiwan husbands are less willing to share housework than their mainland counterparts. Nearly half (45 per cent) of mainland respondents say housework is shared, compared to 38 per cent on Taiwan. Housework is seen mostly or entirely as the wife's duty by 56 per cent of Taiwan respondents, compared to 46 per cent on the mainland. The purpose of having children in Taiwan was to ''continue the lineage'' (36.2 per cent), while on the mainland 25.5 per cent said it was to ensure someone to provide for parents when they retire. More Taiwanese (82 per cent) acknowledged hearing about others or having their own homosexual experiences than mainland Chinese (71 per cent). But only 0.3 per cent of Taiwan respondents and 0.1 per cent of mainlanders said they personally had homosexualexperiences. Taiwan residents tend to have more sexual partners. Ten per cent reported having five or more sexual partners, compared to less than one per cent on the mainland