Ko notes that there was a certain level of homosexuality permitted in Chinese society. The emperor sometimes found his 3,000 palace concubines insufficient. For instance, the Hui Emperor during the Han dynasty would have boys wearing yellow hats, gem-studded belts and powdered faces visit his bedroom. The emperor's wives and imperial concubines themselves often had great sexual appetites that required more than one partner to satisfy.
「吾未見好德如好色者，好色不見得是女色」，台大中文系教授柯慶明指出，中國社會某一程度允許同性戀的存在，尤其帝王往往後宮嬪妃三千還嫌不足，比如遭呂后罷黜的漢惠帝，常有年輕男子頭戴金黃色帽子，束著鑲寶石腰帶，臉上塗脂抹粉，出入他的臥室。