After first-hand research-interviewing people about rope bondage before and after they tried it, I found that almost all of the respondents had a negative view of rope bondage before they tried it. To further validate this idea, and to see if there is a difference in the perception of rope bondage between the East and West.
I searched “捆绑”(Rope bondage in Chinese), “Rope Bondage” and “Shibari”(Rope bondage in Japanese) on Google Trends in the last five years. And organize and summarize the data to draw some conclusions. The Eastern stereotype of rope bondage is erotic. There really is a big difference between Eastern and Western perspectives of rope bondage.
For “捆绑”,79% of the related topics were related to sex. However, for “Rope Bondage,” the percentage dropped to 57%. Searching “Shibari” showed only 7% of the related topics to be related to sex. From the above data, it can be verified that the stereotype of rope bondage in China does exist and accounts for the majority; while most people in Europe and the United States searched related topics more about teaching and knowledge content, which shows this part of people have a relatively strong positive impression view of rope bondage.
Many theatrical programs of traditional kabuki, including the famous classical operas of “Yuki-me” [Snow Maiden] and “Kinkaku-ji” [Temple of the Golden Pavilion, a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto], all contain plots of Seme-ba that depict the leading roles suffering from beating and torture.
After the First Sino-Japanese War, in June of 1896, the Hong Haruki-za Theater in Tokyo put on stage a drama called “Nisshin Senso – Youchi no Kataki-tan” (First Sino-Japanese War – Tale of the Enemy’s Night Attack]. It profoundly touched a fourteen-year-old young man among the audience. Many years later, he would, under the nom de guerre of Ito Seiu, become a kinbaku painter, photographer, and research investigator. He published the first photo book of kinbaku in Japan named “Seme no Kenkyu” [Study of Torture] in 1928, and organized theater shows. Eventually, he became recognized as the father of modern Japanese kinbaku.
The postwar ’50s and 60s is the heyday of the magazine Kitan Club [Club of Strange Tales]. This magazine often used sex, torture, abuse, and exotic customs as its main themes, with occasional detective stories or even science fiction. From today’s point of view, this magazine can be regarded as a precious historical representative of the formative period of Japanese SM culture. In addition, Kitan Club also acted as a promoter of Kinkajou cultural. Suma Toshiyuki, who worked as a writer, illustrator, and photographer, along with people such as Tsujimura Takashi [the two people collectively used more than ten pseudonyms in order to create an impression of many authors], first researched kinbaku for the purpose of illustration.
In 1962, Dan Oniroku’s novel “Hana to Ebi” (Flower and Snake] began its serial Publication in Kitan Club. In 1965, Osada Eikichi amazed the world with a single brilliant feat: an SM experimental drama, which is now widely acknowledged as the
progenitor of kinbaku stage performance. From the late ’60s to early ’70s, with the popularization of “Pink Cinema” type movies, people like Konuma Takashi also began to assume the role of kinbaku directors in movie productions. In 1974, facing impending bankruptcy, Nikkatsu Film Company decided to make “Flower and Snake as one last throw of the dice and achieved unexpected popularity. Afterwards, the movie’s kinbaku director Urado Hiroshi Collaborated with Nikkatsu on a total of 46 Movies. In order to safely adapt Knikabu to its newly found applications in photography, stage performance, and movies without harming the models, they experimented with all kinds of new kinbaku techniques that captured the verve and charm of kabuki and hojojutsu, while taking into account safety issues. From several decades of records starting from Kitan Club, we can see the modern kinbaku techniques gradually taking shape during this period.
With the advent of VHS tapes in the ’80s, adult videos gradually replaced adult films.
Nawashi such as Nureki Chimuo, Shima Shikou, Akechi Denki, and Arise Go not only assisted in the kinbaku production of adult movies but also became a new generation of celebrities. They appeared in movies, speaking with fervor and assurance, talking about what rope means to them, their emotional connections with their models, and the true meaning of SM as they see it.These words by the nawashi have come to nourish generations of Japanese SM enthusiasts, and have exerted an important force to influence and shape the SM culture in Japan.
Rope Bondage is not a mainstream hobby. People who have tried bondage are not common, and some people are unwilling to talk about it even if they have tried it, and the interviewees are relatively limited. So I interviewed some of my friends involved with the Kink Community in China and also some new friends I made since coming to London.. The topic of the interview is to let everyone share their feelings and opinions before and after trying rope bondage.
Jieer(She/Her): Before experiencing Rope Bondage, I have been watching BDSM porn. Some Japanese porn contains rope bondage content. I enjoy the process of watching this. The rough hemp rope goes through the chest, wrist and arms, which is very sexy. The rope wrapped around me like a snake and walked into my heart. Today, I no longer think that rope binding is just a performance art, which brings me too many layers of rich emotions and precious memories. The rope connects me to my friends whom I have been extremely lucky to know.
Yahani(She/Her): Although I had no sexual shame before trying to tie, I could often receive from the message about bondage the idea of male dominance and objectification of women, which was inevitable. Before I met CK, the binding I came into contact with in Korea was a flower rack, and personally I felt that the experience was not a bondage, so it was not really tried at that time.
After being tied up, it can be said that my desire to perform has been amplified, and I am more convinced that I have no sense of sexual shame. Personally, I feel that when it comes to getting rid of sexual shame, the experience of bondage has a certain impact. (There is a premise here. I am suffering from severe depression and anxiety. It became more severe during my time in Hangzhou. I only came into contact with ck and them later. Therefore, in addition to the physical feeling, the psychological feeling will be magnified more)
Bondage does have actual sensory experience, and it also has a further understanding of one’s own body and psychology. It can selectively empower one’s own body. Women can also choose what they can accept and are willing to try in the process. Roles, but the roles of women and men are unequal from beginning to end. It is always women who are being examined or men who become women. Everyone knows this.
My boyfriend is an ordinary person who doesn’t get in touch with these at all, and I haven’t shown him my preferences and mental state in this regard, and I didn’t know or be interested in role reversal sex(The Fourth Love in Mandarin which means a heterosexual relationship where the woman is the top) before. After trying bondage, I am more willing to try the so-called role switching, whether it is sex or personality, and try differently with my own body and other people’s bodies. My desire to satisfy my own body and mind has been completely magnified and dissected.
Wisdom(He/Him, Film&Business student):
Most of the people I interviewed had a negative attitude towards Rope Bondage before trying it, and a positive attitude towards it after trying it. A small number of people originally had a positive attitude towards Rope Bondage, but after trying it, they were pleasantly surprised that Rope Bondage was better than they originally expected!
Rope bondage will have problems, but we can try our best to avoid them and communicate instead of staying silent when something might be going wrong.
Rope Bondage uses similar safety practices and principles to BDSM to ensure the safety of participants. Terms like ‘SSC’ (Sane, Safe, Consensual) and ‘RACK’ (Risk Aware, Consensual, Kink) are the most widely accepted. The differences between SSC and RACK acknowledge that not every kink is necessarily a “safe” one. RACK argues that the concept of what is “sane” is subjective. What ultimately matters within RACK is that participants identify and discuss potential risks, formulate a risk mitigation plan for the activity, and engage in it only through mutual consent and understanding of those risks.
There are some Physical Risks involved with Rope Bondage, including Asphyxiation, Circulation Impairment(Very common, usually caused by the rope being too tight. Easily fixed.), Nerve damage, Fainting, and Falling. Advanced positions like hanging introduce a higher risk and even when skilled artists do this, a teacher’s spot is necessary), etc.
Everybody’s body is different. It’s important to connect with them and have a discussion beforehand so as to choose the best way to treat them.
In my experience of rope bondage, having a discussion with the participant beforehand is crucial, going over important topics such as where they would like to be tied (upper body only, leg, whole body, etc.). Informing the participant that they might have feelings of tingling in some of the areas that are tied up. Implementing a scale system for ‘tingles’ (e.g. 1-10) is helpful and can avoid further risks by loosening certain areas. In case of emergency I can loosen the rope immediately and if in dire need even cut the rope. Afterward, I can help the participants relax by massaging their muscles and making sure they are comfortable.
In summary, Guidelines For Reducing Risk have 4tips. Firstly, Take your time. Get to know each other before you play. Get to know each other’s bodies, medical conditions, likes, dislikes, expectations, levels of experience, and reputation in the community. Learn about each other; from each other, and from other people. Find out where the boundaries are, and don’t be in a hurry to push or expand them.
Secondly, Plan Ahead. If you’re going to get tied, prep for that; stretch, think about whether the circumstances make it safe for you to play. If you’re going to be trying, prep for that; the same requirements about health. Thirdly, Know When Not To Do Rope Bondage. Rope can be a lot of fun, but it can be risky as hell, too; better to do it when you’re both feeling well and up for it. In addition, communicate, communicate, communicate! The most important, most effective way of keeping risk down, is for both of you to be on the same page. You’re both responsible for safety, and you can both contribute to that.
After my recent research, there are four terms used to describe Rope Bondage, which is Kinbaku, Shibari, Hojojutsu, and Fusion. In the East, people use Shibari and Kinbaku, and the origin of these two names is Hojojutsu. In the West, people use Fusion to describe rope bondage. Rope Bondage is named under different disciplines. And is classified into two parts east/west with factors such as source, development process, and historical factors.
IN THE EAST
One of the most common controversies in the world of Japanese bondage is Shibari Vs Kinbaku. In Japanese culture, these two words do have different meanings.
Kinbaku and Shibari are Japanese terms and have numerous translations and interpretations of meanings surrounding the terms of kinbaku or shibari. In the Japanese dictionary, Kinbaku means “to bind tightly”. It describes a practice where the connection between the rope artist and the bottom is important. On the other hand, Shibari means ” to tie”, and it can refer not only to people, but also to things.
Hojojutsu is symbolic of the prisoner and their punishment. This is a martial art that was used as a way to restrain, transport, and even torture slaves.
Kinbaku, as well as Shibari, is a sexualized extension of Hojojutsu. But in the Western world, these words are synonyms, their differences lost in translation.
IN THE WEST
EARLY HOLLYWOOD & WORLD WAR 2 The early days of Hollywood is one of the first places we can see the use of bondage and eroticism entertwined in the West. It is considered most likely that kinbaku was brought to the West through the cross-pollination of cultures that occurred during World War 2.
‘Fusion’ is a term typically applied to western style rope that has borrowed aspects from traditional Japanese kinbaku. The most distinguishing factor of western rope is that it does not have limitations. Usually, kinbaku particularly focuses on the use of natural fibres, as opposed to kinbaku, Fusion more commonly uses synthetic and colored ropes.
Going forward I will refer to both kinbaku and shibari in a more general term, ‘rope bondage’. Using this term will allow my research to remain neutral as there has been a history of conflict regarding the correct term.
In the Japanese tradition, the relationship between rope and knot is so deep. Gifts are wrapped and tied in Furoshiki is normal in Japan.”Shibari” simply means “to tie”. The contemporary meaning of Shibari describes an ancient Japanese artistic form of rope bondage.
The origin of Shibari comes from Hojo-jutsu, the martial art of restraining captives. In Japan from 1400 to 1700, while the local police and Samurai used Hojo-jutsu as a form of imprisonment and torture, the honor of these ancient Samurai warriors required them to treat their prisoners well. So, they used different techniques to tie their prisoners, showing the honor and status of their captured prisoner.
In the late Edo era(1603-1867), bondage was used to torture women who were taken prisoner of war or girls of rival masters. Tying has often turned into forms of humiliation in very open spaces and squares.
Beginning in the 1800s, high social class members connected nude women with soft and degrading positions, drawing their pictures and using them sexually in the eroticisation of tying. Wealthy and noble people were also invited to these events in later periods. These invitations and events were called Komon Sarashi Shibari. Very rare examples of these drawings appeared in Ukiyo-e (17th century erotic wood print) collections.
The aesthetic arrangement of ropes and knots on the model’s body in Shibari rigging emphasises characteristics like sensuality, vulnerability, and also strength. The positioning of knots in appropriate places stimulates pressure points on the body, very similarly to acupuncture techniques and Shiatsu, a form of Japanese massage. Some believe a shibari experience also stimulates Ki energy flow and transfer.
Shibari rigging induces physiological conditions known as “sub space” and “top space”, which are similar to the “runners high” experienced by athletes. A Shibari experience results in an increased level of endorphins and other hormones, creating a trance-like experience for the bottom/model and an adrenaline rush for the Top/rigger. When a shibari scene is performed with appropriate ambience, these effects are actually visible in the face of the model. The term “rope drunk” is sometimes affectionately used to describe the euphoric condition of the model after a shibari experience.
