Lessons in love: bashful youngsters at Chinese university taught the gentle art of seduction

Chinese university tutor Xie Shu’s core subject is Communist ideology, but he has diversified from the dry annals of political doctrine for a more hands-on subject: seduction.

His “Theory and Practice of Romantic Relations” course at Tianjin University includes lectures on pick-up techniques, self-presentation and how to entice the opposite sex.

“How should you react when you’ve been rejected?” Xie asked his young charges at one lecture in a cafe on the campus in the northern port city. “Clearly, don’t throw the roses that you bought the girl at her - keep calm.”

Tianjin is China’s first university to integrate such a course into its curriculum, giving students credit towards their degrees for attending , an indication of slowly loosening social norms in China after decades of more straight-laced traditionalism.

It also demonstrates officials’ increasing concern over the social acumen of the country’s youth, many of whom grew up as pampered “Little Emperors” without brothers or sisters as a result of China’s one-child policy.

“The generation of only children lack relationships with people their own age,” China’s most prominent sexologist Li Yinhe said. “A boy who has a sister might have a better understanding of how to interact with a girl.”