Sex exhibition forced to close in Beijing
( 2003-11-06 16:42) (Xinhua)
A sex exhibition that opened in Beijing on October 27 has been closed after
the number of visitors grew to such proportions that security became a matter of
real concern, the sponsor said.
The exhibition, featuring sex-related works of art from the past two
millennia, was originally scheduled to last a week, and is the first of its kind
ever held in Beijing.
Before that the controversial expo had been held in Shanghai and Xi'an as
well as other inland cities. Shanghai, the largest populated city in China, has
built a sex museum under the advocate, Professor Liu Dalin, curator of
Shanghai's Ancient Chinese Sex Culture Museum.
However, interest on the first day far exceeded expectations, as 200 people
crowded into the small exhibition rooms that were designed to only hold one 100
people at a time. Near-chaotic scenes ensued, and a glass panel of one of the
exhibits was smashed, while security personnel watched on helpless.
Following the unhappy experience of the first day, organizers decided to call
the exhibition off entirely.
Many of the priceless objects on show were collected through years of
painstaking efforts by Ma Shaonian, deputy head of the Beijing Sexual Health
Research Association.
With a "Not for viewers under 18 years" sign at the gate,
the exhibition had many restrictions, some objects shrouded within "sensitive"
areas. Pro's and con's towards the show are still being decided after the
closure in Beijing.
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