Abstract
In ancient Japan there was an amusement called "utagaki," in which men and women gathered round to exchange erotic songs among them. In China there are some minority groups who have their own tradition of "utagaki," and even today they perform it. In the Chinese version, the people sing and exchange not only love songs but also ones about their daily life. This confirms the popular origin of the amusement. But most students of the Japanese "utagaki" emphasize its ritual and formal aspect so much that they are apt to ignore the fact that it was rooted in popular culture. In this sense, the songs of Chinese "utagaki" will shed a new light on studies of the ancient amusement in Japan.
