Another expert, Xia Xueluan, a professor of sociology at Peking University, voiced his objection on moral grounds, attributing worsening juvenile sexual crimes to the "open-mindedness of the public and the easy availability of scantily-clothed men and women."

First, I don't see how scantily clothed personal portraits would be easily available. If there are people who have their nude shots taken for the purpose of commercial distribution then we have criminal codes to take care of it.

Second, open-mindedness is all-too-often used as a scapegoat. To be open-minded is to consider different ideas, opinions and arguments purely on their merit. It does not mean embracing all new ideas uncritically. If anything nude could really lead to high juvenile sexual crimes, I can only say that it's time for us to reflect on our education system.

The newspaper's observation is true that "in the past, photographs and drawings of naked women could be viewed only in galleries and public exhibitions," but it is also this artificial mystification of the human body that arouses sexual curiosity, a natural curiosity that is not addressed in our education system .

The famous writer Lu Xun wrote, decades ago, "The sight of women's short sleeves at once makes them think of bare arms, of the naked body, the genitals, copulation, promiscuity, and bastards. This is the sole respect in which the Chinese have a lively imagination."

Are we still of that mind-set?

Last but not least, it is encouraging that women are showing long overdue appreciation, respect and confidence in their own bodies, which, from feudal times until far too recently, were treated as mere objects subject to the ascetic standards of men.

I am grateful that those times are over and women now can choose to celebrate their youth, health and beauty in its natural form.

The author is a Beijing-based freelance writer. viewpoint@globaltimes.com.cn