News - South China Morning Post
· collected 2026-09-07 · by Zoey Zhang
Tong Songzhen, a sex therapist from Taiwan who works in China, notes that most of her clients are between 30 and 50 years old, with men making up about 80% of her clientele. Many of these clients struggle with issues related to intimacy and relationships, which Tong believes are often caused by gaps in education and communication. She has worked with a variety of clients, including PhD holders who lacked basic sexual knowledge and an 80-year-old man seeking to rekindle physical intimacy after a stroke. According to Tong, sex therapy goes beyond just addressing physical issues, encompassing emotional, psychological, and social aspects as well.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
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Story summary
Tong Songzhen, a pioneering sex therapist from Taiwan, has been observing a growing phenomenon in China where people are struggling with intimacy and relationships due to gaps in education and communication. Tong, who has practices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, notes that most of her clients are between the ages of 30 and 50, with 80% being men. While male clients often seek help for sexual dysfunction, women typically experience greater insecurity in intimate relationships. One notable case is a client whose single father advised her to "wear more clothes" after she faced school sexual harassment, indicating a lack of awareness about healthy communication and boundaries. Tong has also encountered two PhD holders who lacked basic knowledge about sex and believed that sharing a bed could lead to pregnancy. This phenomenon, which Tong calls being "relationship blind," is a result of inadequate education and communication skills in China's young adults.
Written for “China's Relationship Blind Phenomenon” on 2026-09-07,
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No political leaning scored for article 6545 · logged 2026-09-07
Ancient roots: China pioneering sex therapist warns of rise of ‘relationship blind’ phenomenon
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therapist → warn → phenomenon
Tong recalls a client whose single father advised her to ‘wear more clothes’ after she faced school sexual harassment
Behind many sexual difficulties lie questions that extend far beyond the confines of the bedroom.
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that → recall → bedroom
After years of assisting clients in navigating issues of intimacy and relationships, one of China’s pioneering sex therapists has observed how gaps in education and communication shape individuals’ most private struggles.
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gaps → assist → struggles
Originally from Taiwan, Tong Songzhen began her career as a nurse before attaining a doctorate in sexology from Shu-Te University.
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Songzhen → begin → University
Since 2016, she has established sex therapy practices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.
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she → establish → Beijing
Tong shared with the SCMP that most of her clients are between the ages of 30 and 50, with men comprising about 80 per cent of her clientele.
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men → share → clientele
While male clients often seek help for sexual dysfunction, women typically experience greater insecurity in intimate relationships.
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women → seek → relationships
Her clientele has included two PhD holders who lacked fundamental sexual knowledge and mistakenly believed that pregnancy could result merely from sharing a bed.
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pregnancy → include → bed
She also worked with an 80-year-old man who, after enduring the effects of a stroke for two decades, sought to rekindle physical intimacy with his partner.
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who → work → partner
It encompasses an entire system that involves the body, psychology, and social relationships,” she emphasised.
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she → encompass → body
