An exhibition of more than 350 pieces of relics depicting China's ancient sex culture opened Tuesday in Zhengzhou, capital city of central China's Henan Province.

The one-month-odd exhibition addresses 10 issues, including sexual adoration, marriage regulations, sexual oppression experienced by women, sexual entertainment, sexual health care and deviant sex.

The exhibits were selected by Professor Liu Dalin, China's renowned sex education expert, from his sex culture museum in Shanghai, China's first-ever such museum.

Zhengzhou is the 15th city in China to host the exhibition sponsored by Professor Liu, who maintains that sex is one of human beings' basic needs and plays an important role in people's life, family, social development and stability.

For a long time, sex-related topics in China have traditionally been secret. However, the Chinese government has become aware of the importance of sex education and has adopted a positive attitude towards the issue.

Exhibitions and radio programs have been initiated to demystify sex among the Chinese people.

Some 100 middle schools in Beijing have introduced textbooks on sex education beginning this fall semester.

Professor Liu, author of more than 80 books on sexology, said such educational programs will help people learn about safe sex.

(People's Daily September 25, 2002)