Today, in some group chat full of younger students, I got asked a question about “3P.” It seems we’re all still rather awkward about discussing sex or anything related to it. Since I’m hiding behind the medium of the internet, let me say a few words (you can also check the wiki).

“3P” is slang for threesome, commonly used to refer to sex involving three people. Of course, the configurations are varied: one man and two women, two men and one woman, three men, three women. In English there are other terms for it (some borrowed from French): flesh sandwich, séance à trois, three-hole activities (this one seems a bit off), three-layer cake, ménage à trois, and so on. Compared to Chinese, these expressions are quite interesting. Heh, too bad I haven’t tried it yet.

The image above is an erotic painting depicting a threesome, from The Secret Manual of Mandarin Ducks. Look at it: the man in the long robe gives the woman a flirtatious smile, “inviting” her to join in the clouds and rain together. The other woman lies languidly resting on the bed — perhaps savoring the passion just past, or perhaps waiting for an even more spectacular battle of three! There are actually many such erotic paintings. I think people in ancient times handled sex, in some ways, far more appropriately than we do now — with more “refinement,” and more delicacy.

Which makes me genuinely curious: what did the ancient Chinese call this kind of bound, three-person lovemaking? Surely they didn’t call it “3P” too?

Filed under: Everyone lives within this “sea of romance,” forever surrounded by sound and color. Everyone’s understanding of it differs, so I’ll timidly try to find something interesting within it (heh).