Positions

Cross-tradition comparative taxonomy of historical position systems — metric spaces, equivalence classes, group theory, and phylogenetics

Overview

181

Total Positions

Traditions

115

Cross-Mappings

108

Mapped Positions

Unique (Unmapped)

Equiv. Classes

|G| Symmetry

Traditions

Tradition	Native	Source Text	Period	Positions
Shijūhatte	四十八手	Edo shunga woodblock prints	1603–1868 CE	48
Kāmasūtra	कामसूत्र	Vātsyāyana Mallanāga	~3rd c. CE	39
Fángzhōngshù	房中術	Sù Nǚ Jīng · Dòng Xuán Zǐ · Sūn Sīmiǎo	~2nd c. BCE – 9th c. CE	18
Perfumed Garden	الروض العاطر	Sheikh al-Nafzawi	15th c. CE	15
Greco-Roman	Ars Amatoria	Philaenis · Ovid · Martial	3rd c. BCE – 2nd c. CE	13
Ananga Ranga	अनंगरंग	Kalyāṇamalla	15th–16th c. CE	32
Ratirahasya	रतिरहस्य	Kokkoka	11th–12th c. CE	16

Category × Tradition Distribution

Position counts per mechanical category × tradition

Category distribution radar (normalized)

Tradition Vectors v(t) ∈ ℤ&sup8;

Each tradition t maps to a vector v(t) = (facing, rear, sitting, standing, side, inverted, oral, special) ∈ ℤ&sup8;. Cosine similarity and Jaccard index measure structural affinity.

Tradition	facing	rear	sitting	standing	side	inverted	oral	special	Total
Perfumed Garden	6	1	1	2	2	3	0	0	15
Fángzhōngshù	4	2	2	3	1	4	1	1	18
Greco-Roman	2	2	1	1	1	2	3	1	13
Ananga Ranga	11	2	10	3	3	3	0	0	32
Shijūhatte	14	7	6	4	4	7	2	4	48
Ratirahasya	8	2	2	1	0	2	1	0	16
Kāmasūtra	15	5	1	2	0	5	8	3	39

Cosine Similarity Matrix

cos(v₁, v₂) = (v₁ · v₂) / (‖v₁‖ × ‖v₂‖). 1.0 = identical proportional distribution; 0.0 = orthogonal. This is a metric on tradition space.

Cosine similarity heatmap

Information Theory

Shannon Entropy H(t)

H(t) = −Σ_i p_i log₂ p_i (bits, max = log₂(8) ≈ 3.0)
Higher entropy = more uniform distribution across categories.

Shannon entropy per tradition

KL Divergence D_KL(row ‖ col)

D_KL(P ‖ Q) = Σ_i p_i log₂(p_i/q_i). Asymmetric: D_KL(P‖Q) ≠ D_KL(Q‖P). Use Jensen–Shannon divergence for a symmetric metric.

	Perfumed	Fángzhōn	Greco-Ro	Ananga R	Shijūhat	Ratiraha	Kāmasūtr
Perfumed G	0.0000	0.1021	0.2843	0.1887	0.0820	0.1611	0.4104
Fángzhōngs	0.0994	0.0000	0.1197	0.3011	0.0695	0.1709	0.3299
Greco-Roma	0.3457	0.1371	0.0000	0.6361	0.2083	0.2915	0.2530
Ananga Ran	0.2381	0.2907	0.5132	0.0000	0.2000	0.2195	0.7633
Shijūhatte	0.0890	0.0656	0.1690	0.2140	0.0000	0.0961	0.2837
Ratirahasy	0.1375	0.1747	0.3082	0.2118	0.0871	0.0000	0.1686
Kāmasūtra	0.3955	0.3063	0.2404	0.7145	0.2812	0.1664	0.0000

Graph Analysis

G = (V, E) where V = mapped positions, E = cross-mappings with σ ≥ 0.75.
Clustering coefficient, connected components, hub detection.

104

Vertices

111

Edges

2.13

Avg Degree

Components

0.359

Avg Clustering

Hub Positions (highest degree)

ID	Position	Tradition	Degree
`ks-27`	Woman Acting Man's Part	Kāmasūtra	7
`ks-20`	Congress of a Cow	Kāmasūtra	6
`ks-16`	Lotus Position	Kāmasūtra	5
`cn-02`	Tiger's Tread	Fángzhōngshù	5
`pg-07`	The Sticking	Perfumed Garden	5
`ar-28`	Cow Prone	Ananga Ranga	5
`ks-10`	High Pressure	Kāmasūtra	5
`jp-15`	Riding Position	Shijūhatte	5

Cross-tradition mapping network

Interactive D3.js force-directed graph with drag, zoom, tooltips, and filtering.

Open Interactive Network →

Topological Feature Space φ: P → [0,1]&sup8;

Instead of classifying by cultural origin, each position is embedded in an 8-dimensional continuous feature space based on its mechanical properties:
orientation · verticality · role_symmetry · contact_area · elevation · mobility · openness · oral_component

Euclidean distance in this space = mechanical dissimilarity. Positions that cluster together are mechanically similar regardless of which civilization catalogued them.

Topological Cluster Centroids (radar)

8 clusters from hierarchical agglomeration on feature vectors. Each radar shows the centroid profile.

Cluster centroids in feature space (8 mechanical dimensions)

Tradition Centroids in Feature Space

Average feature profile per tradition — how each culture populates the mechanical space.

Tradition-averaged mechanical profiles

PCA Projection (PC1 vs PC2)

PC1 (31.6% variance): verticality (+0.729), elevation (+0.490)
PC2 (24.6% variance): orientation (-0.717), role_symmetry (+0.540)
Total: 56.2% of variance captured in 2D.

PCA scatter — 181 positions projected to 2D (drag to explore, hover for details)

Equivalence Classes [p]_ε

Equivalence relation: p ~_ε q ⇔ σ(p,q) ≥ ε where ε = 0.75.
Computed via union–find. Transitive closure partitions mapped positions into classes.

ID	Canonical Name	Category	\|C\|	Centroid	Members
EC-001	Cicada Clings	FACING	3	0.82	Cicada Clings Plover Packed / Tight
EC-002	Rabbit Nibbles Fur	ORAL	2	0.78	Rabbit Nibbles Fur Sword Guard Clash
EC-003	Spinning Top Woman	INVERTED	5	0.85	Spinning Top Woman Fish Interlocking Scales Tea Grinder Spinning Top The Spinner
EC-004	Lotus Seat	SITTING	6	0.91	Lotus Seat Cranes Intertwining Necks Sitting Position Lotus Lotus Position Lotus Love
EC-005	Swimming Dragon Plays in Water	SPECIAL	2	0.80	Swimming Dragon Plays in Water Congress in Water
EC-006	Fame Standing	STANDING	4	0.86	Fame Standing Squirrel Climbing Branch Station Lunch Box Suspended Congress
EC-007	Dragon Turns Over	FACING	5	0.86	Dragon Turns Over Natural Venus Normal Position Clasping / Box The Approach
EC-008	Cow Prone	REAR	8	0.88	Cow Prone Tiger's Tread Averted Venus In the Manner of Beasts Rear Position Congress of a Cow The Sticking Cow Village
EC-009	Reversed Woman-on-Top	INVERTED	8	0.85	Reversed Woman-on-Top Monkey Attack Riding Venus / The Horse The Racehorse Riding Position Woman Acting Man's Part The Caliph Reversed Love
EC-010	Standing Venus	STANDING	4	0.87	Standing Venus Standing Position Supported Congress Standing Love
EC-011	Lute Side-lying	SIDE	5	0.81	Lute Side-lying Mandarin Ducks Mating Lateral Venus Side Position The Side Coupling
EC-012	Widely Opened	FACING	2	0.95	Widely Opened The Blossoming
EC-013	The Yawning	FACING	3	0.94	The Yawning Yawning The Yawning
EC-014	Wife of Indra	FACING	2	0.95	Wife of Indra Wife of Indra
EC-015	The Entwined	FACING	3	0.85	The Entwined Wickerwork Base Twining
EC-016	Stride of Viṣṇu	FACING	4	0.90	Stride of Viṣṇu True Leg Hook Half Pressure Half Pressed
EC-017	The Bamboo Split	FACING	4	0.88	The Bamboo Split Pine Needle Collapse Splitting the Bamboo Splitting Bamboo
EC-018	Chrysanthemum Line	FACING	2	0.80	Chrysanthemum Line Fixing of a Nail / Implement
EC-019	Swallow's Flight Reversal	INVERTED	2	0.85	Swallow's Flight Reversal Turning / Spin
EC-020	Cat	REAR	2	0.88	Cat Congress of a Cat
EC-021	Elephant Prone	REAR	3	0.88	Elephant Prone Bush Warbler Crossing the Valley Congress of an Elephant
EC-022	Lion Dance	REAR	2	0.78	Lion Dance Congress of a Horse
EC-023	True Tea Grinder	INVERTED	2	0.80	True Tea Grinder Tongs
EC-024	Handball Tea Grinder	INVERTED	2	0.82	Handball Tea Grinder Swing
EC-025	Casual / Nominal	ORAL	2	0.85	Casual / Nominal Upper Congress

Group Theory Preview

The mechanical category space M admits a symmetry group G = ⟨α, β, γ⟩ ≤ S₈ of order 12.
α: facing ↔ rear β: sitting ↔ standing γ: facing ↔ inverted
Burnside’s lemma: 5 distinct orbits. Orbit–stabilizer theorem verified for all categories.

Full group theory analysis → (Cayley graph, Cayley table, orbits, stabilizers, quotient structure)

Cross-Tradition Mappings (top 30)

From	Position A	To	Position B	Similarity	Notes
Shijūhatte	Lotus	Kāmasūtra	Lotus Position	95%	Renge ≈ Padmasana. Lotus, near-identical.
Ananga Ranga	The Bamboo Split	Kāmasūtra	Splitting the Bamboo	95%	Venuvidarita ≈ Venudaritakam. Splitting bamboo — same position.
Ananga Ranga	Lotus Seat	Kāmasūtra	Lotus Position	95%	Padmasana ≈ Padmasana. Identical lotus seat.
Ratirahasya	The Yawning	Kāmasūtra	Yawning	95%	Jrimbhita ≈ Vijrmbhitakam. Yawning — same term.
Ratirahasya	The Blossoming	Kāmasūtra	Widely Opened	95%	Utphullaka ≈ Utphullakam. Blossoming — same term.
Ratirahasya	Wife of Indra	Kāmasūtra	Wife of Indra	95%	Indranika ≈ Indranikam. Wife of Indra — same.
Ratirahasya	Splitting Bamboo	Kāmasūtra	Splitting the Bamboo	95%	Venu-vidarita ≈ Venudaritakam. Splitting bamboo.
Ratirahasya	The Yawning	Ananga Ranga	The Yawning	95%	Jrimbhita ≈ Jrimbhita-asana. Same name, same position.
Ratirahasya	Splitting Bamboo	Ananga Ranga	The Bamboo Split	95%	Venu-vidarita ≈ Venuvidarita. Same bamboo-split.
Ratirahasya	Lotus Love	Ananga Ranga	Lotus Seat	95%	Padma-rata ≈ Padma-asana. Lotus lineage.
Shijūhatte	Rear Position	Kāmasūtra	Congress of a Cow	92%	Kōhaii ≈ Dhenuka. Standard rear.
Shijūhatte	Riding Position	Kāmasūtra	Woman Acting Man's Part	92%	Kijōi ≈ Purushayita. Woman on top.
Shijūhatte	Station Lunch Box	Kāmasūtra	Suspended Congress	92%	Ekiben ≈ Avalambitaka. Suspended.
Ananga Ranga	The Yawning	Kāmasūtra	Yawning	92%	Jrimbhita ≈ Vijrmbhitakam. Yawning — direct descendant.
Ananga Ranga	Cow Prone	Kāmasūtra	Congress of a Cow	92%	Dhenuka-vyanta ≈ Dhenuka. Cow congress — same name.
Ananga Ranga	Spinning Top Woman	Kāmasūtra	Spinning Top	92%	Purushayita-bhramara ≈ Bhramara. Spinning top — same concept.
Ananga Ranga	Lotus Seat	Shijūhatte	Lotus	92%	Padmasana ≈ Renge. Lotus — same concept.
Ratirahasya	Half Pressed	Kāmasūtra	Half Pressure	92%	Ardha-pidita ≈ Ardhapiditakam. Half pressed.
Ratirahasya	Lotus Love	Kāmasūtra	Lotus Position	92%	Padma-rata ≈ Padmasana. Lotus.
Ratirahasya	Reversed Love	Ananga Ranga	Reversed Woman-on-Top	92%	Viparita-rata ≈ Viparita-purushayita. Woman on top.
Shijūhatte	Normal Position	Kāmasūtra	Clasping / Box	90%	Seijōi ≈ Samputakam. Baseline missionary.
Shijūhatte	Standing Position	Kāmasūtra	Supported Congress	90%	Tachii ≈ Sthitarata. Standing.
Shijūhatte	Rear Position	Fángzhōngshù	Tiger's Tread	90%	Kōhaii ≈ Tiger's Tread. Standard rear.
Shijūhatte	Lotus	Fángzhōngshù	Cranes Intertwining Necks	90%	Renge ≈ Cranes Necks. Seated, meditative.
Kāmasūtra	Congress of a Cow	Fángzhōngshù	Tiger's Tread	90%	Dhenuka ≈ Tiger's Tread. Standard rear.
Kāmasūtra	Congress of a Cow	Greco-Roman	In the Manner of Beasts	90%	Dhenuka ≈ More ferarum. Animal-modeled rear.
Ananga Ranga	Stride of Viṣṇu	Kāmasūtra	Half Pressure	90%	Traivikrama ≈ Ardhapiditakam. One leg on shoulder.
Ananga Ranga	The Entwined	Kāmasūtra	Twining	90%	Veshtita ≈ Veshtitakam. Entwined — direct descendant.
Ananga Ranga	Elephant Prone	Kāmasūtra	Congress of an Elephant	90%	Aibha-vyanta ≈ Gaja. Elephant prone.
Ananga Ranga	Reversed Woman-on-Top	Kāmasūtra	Woman Acting Man's Part	90%	Viparita-purushayita ≈ Purushayita. Woman on top.

Full Position Data by Tradition

Shijūhatte 四十八手 — 48 positions

Edo shunga woodblock prints · 1603–1868 CE

ID	Native	Romanized	English	Category	Conf.	Description
`jp-01`	正常位	seijōi	Normal Position	facing	documented	Standard face-to-face supine position. The foundational posture.
`jp-02`	網代本手	ajiro-honte	Wickerwork Base	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs woven around man's waist in a lattice grip.
`jp-03`	揚羽本手	ageha-honte	Swallowtail Base	facing	documented	Woman raises both legs high like butterfly wings. Deep angle.
`jp-04`	千鳥	chidori	Plover	facing	documented	Woman's legs crossed at ankles above man. Named for the bird's crossed flight pattern.
`jp-05`	浜千鳥	hamachidori	Beach Plover	facing	documented	Variant of chidori — woman's legs extended to one side, like a plover on shore.
`jp-06`	締込千鳥	shimekomi-chidori	Tightened Plover	facing	documented	Chidori variant with legs clamped tightly together for increased pressure.
`jp-07`	本駒掛け	hon-komagake	True Leg Hook	facing	documented	Woman hooks one leg over man's shoulder while other remains flat.
`jp-08`	菊一文字	kiku-ichimonji	Chrysanthemum Line	facing	documented	Woman's legs stretched straight up forming a single vertical line.
`jp-09`	後背位	kōhaii	Rear Position	rear	documented	Standard rear-entry, woman on hands and knees.
`jp-10`	獅子舞	shishimai	Lion Dance	rear	documented	Rear entry with woman's upper body lowered, head down like a lion mask dancer.
`jp-11`	鶯の谷渡り	uguisu-no-taniwatari	Bush Warbler Crossing the Valley	rear	documented	Rear entry with woman prone and flat. Named for the warbler's low flight.
`jp-12`	座位	zai	Sitting Position	sitting	documented	Face-to-face seated, woman in man's lap.
`jp-13`	抱き地蔵	daki-jizō	Embracing Jizō	sitting	documented	Seated embrace, bodies pressed together like embracing a Jizō statue.
`jp-14`	一つ蝶	hitotsu-chō	Single Butterfly	sitting	documented	Seated, woman's legs to one side like a single butterfly wing.
`jp-15`	騎乗位	kijōi	Riding Position	inverted	documented	Woman straddles man, facing him. Standard woman-on-top.
`jp-16`	茶臼	chausu	Tea Grinder	inverted	documented	Woman on top, grinding in circular motion like a tea mortar.
`jp-17`	本茶臼	hon-chausu	True Tea Grinder	inverted	documented	Intensified chausu — woman controls rhythm entirely.
`jp-18`	燕返し	tsubame-gaeshi	Swallow's Flight Reversal	inverted	documented	Woman reverses direction mid-act, like a swallow's banking turn.
`jp-19`	立位	tachii	Standing Position	standing	documented	Both standing, face to face.
`jp-20`	駅弁	ekiben	Station Lunch Box	standing	documented	Man holds woman aloft, her legs around his waist. Named for the vendor's carrying posture.
`jp-21`	側位	sokui	Side Position	side	documented	Both lying on sides, face to face.
`jp-22`	筏流し	ikada-nagashi	Raft Floating Downstream	side	documented	Side-lying, bodies aligned and drifting together like a raft on current.
`jp-23`	松葉崩し	matsuba-kuzushi	Pine Needle Collapse	special	documented	Woman supine with legs scissored apart like scattered pine needles. Man enters from the side.
`jp-24`	手懸け	tegake	Hand Suspension	special	documented	Woman suspended by arms. Acrobatic variant requiring strength.
`jp-25`	花菱	hanabishi	Flower Diamond	facing	documented	Woman supine with legs drawn up forming a diamond shape.
`jp-26`	御所車	goshoguruma	Imperial Carriage	facing	documented	Woman's legs raised and held by man like the shafts of a court carriage.
`jp-27`	入船	irifune	Entering Ship	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs together and raised. Man enters as a ship enters harbor.
`jp-28`	出船	defune	Departing Ship	facing	documented	Reverse of irifune — withdrawal pattern emphasized.
`jp-29`	深山	miyama	Deep Mountain	facing	documented	Maximum depth variant, woman's legs over man's shoulders.
`jp-30`	宝船	takarabune	Treasure Ship	facing	documented	Woman supine with legs elevated, rocking motion like a laden ship.
`jp-31`	猫	neko	Cat	rear	documented	Rear entry, woman arching back like a stretching cat.
`jp-32`	狐	kitsune	Fox	rear	documented	Rear entry, woman low and alert, looking back over shoulder.
`jp-33`	鹿	shika	Deer	rear	documented	Rear entry with woman's legs tucked, emulating a grazing deer.
`jp-34`	獅子	shishi	Lion	rear	documented	Forceful rear variant with man dominant, lion posture.
`jp-35`	蓮華	renge	Lotus	sitting	documented	Man sits in lotus, woman lowers onto him. Meditative-aligned.
`jp-36`	仏壇返し	butsudan-gaeshi	Buddhist Altar Reversal	sitting	documented	Seated position reversed — woman faces away while sitting in man's lap.
`jp-37`	碁盤攻め	goban-zeme	Go Board Attack	sitting	documented	Woman seated on edge (as on a go board), man kneeling before her.
`jp-38`	逆茶臼	gyaku-chausu	Reverse Tea Grinder	inverted	documented	Woman on top facing away, grinding motion reversed.
`jp-39`	時雨茶臼	shigure-chausu	Autumn Rain Tea Grinder	inverted	documented	Slow, rhythmic woman-on-top variant. Named for gentle autumn drizzle.
`jp-40`	手鞠茶臼	temari-chausu	Handball Tea Grinder	inverted	documented	Bouncing woman-on-top variant, like a temari ball.
`jp-41`	机越し	tsukue-goshi	Over the Desk	standing	documented	Woman bends over furniture, standing rear entry.
`jp-42`	腰掛け	koshikake	Bench Seat	standing	documented	Woman perched on edge of elevated surface, man standing.
`jp-43`	抱き寄せ	dakiyose	Drawn-In Embrace	side	documented	Side-lying with man pulling woman close from behind.
`jp-44`	添い寝	soine	Sleeping Together	side	documented	Spooning position. Gentle, resting alignment.
`jp-45`	千鳥の曲	chidori-no-kyoku	Song of the Plover	oral	documented	Oral position. Named for the plover's distinctive call.
`jp-46`	鍔競り合い	tsubazeri-ai	Sword Guard Clash	oral	documented	Mutual oral position (69). Named for crossed sword guards in combat.
`jp-47`	首引き	kubihiki	Neck Pull	special	documented	Acrobatic position involving inverted alignment and neck support.
`jp-48`	万力	manriki	Vise Grip	special	documented	Maximum compression variant. Named for the metalworking tool.

Kāmasūtra कामसूत्र — 39 positions

Vātsyāyana Mallanāga · ~3rd c. CE

ID	Native	Romanized	English	Category	Conf.	Description
`ks-01`	utphullakam	utphullakam	Widely Opened	facing	documented	Woman lowers head and raises middle parts. Opens to accommodate larger partner.
`ks-02`	vijrmbhitakam	vijrmbhitakam	Yawning	facing	documented	Woman raises thighs wide apart during congress.
`ks-03`	indranikam	indranikam	Wife of Indra	facing	documented	Woman draws thighs up against sides, feet flat. Named for Indra's consort.
`ks-04`	samputakam	samputakam	Clasping / Box	facing	documented	Both partners extend legs straight alongside each other.
`ks-05`	piditakam	piditakam	Pressing	facing	documented	Woman presses thighs together tightly after entry to increase friction.
`ks-06`	veshtitakam	veshtitakam	Twining	facing	documented	Woman wraps one thigh around man's thigh.
`ks-07`	vadavakam	vadavakam	Mare's Position	facing	documented	Woman contracts and grips internally, like a mare. Learned only through practice.
`ks-08`	bhugnakam	bhugnakam	Bent	facing	documented	Woman bends forward, man enters from standard position.
`ks-09`	jrmbhitakam	jrmbhitakam	Gaping	facing	documented	Woman raises legs and spreads them wide. Variant of yawning.
`ks-10`	utpiditakam	utpiditakam	High Pressure	facing	documented	Woman raises legs and places them on man's shoulders.
`ks-11`	ardhapiditakam	ardhapiditakam	Half Pressure	facing	documented	One leg on shoulder, other extended straight. Asymmetric variant.
`ks-12`	venudaritakam	venudaritakam	Splitting the Bamboo	facing	documented	Woman alternates legs on shoulder — one up, then switched.
`ks-13`	shuulachitakam	shuulachitakam	Fixing of a Nail / Implement	facing	documented	Woman places one leg on man's head, other extended. Nail-like precision.
`ks-14`	karkatakam	karkatakam	Crab	facing	documented	Woman draws thighs back to stomach, contracted like a crab.
`ks-15`	piditakam_s	piditakam_s	Packed / Tight	facing	documented	Woman raises legs and crosses them, tightly pressed together.
`ks-16`	padmasana	padmasana	Lotus Position	sitting	documented	Woman sits in lotus posture during congress.
`ks-17`	paravrttakam	paravrttakam	Turning / Spin	inverted	documented	Man turns around during congress without withdrawing. Requires practice.
`ks-18`	sthitarata	sthitarata	Supported Congress	standing	documented	Both standing, woman leans against wall for support.
`ks-19`	avalambitaka	avalambitaka	Suspended Congress	standing	documented	Man supports woman off ground, she clings with arms and legs.
`ks-20`	dhenuka	dhenuka	Congress of a Cow	rear	documented	Woman on all fours, man mounts from behind in the manner of a bull.
`ks-21`	auparishtaka_rear	auparishtaka_rear	Congress of a Dog	rear	documented	Rear entry variant mimicking canine coupling.
`ks-22`	marjarita	marjarita	Congress of a Cat	rear	documented	Rear entry with woman in low crouch like a cat.
`ks-23`	gaja	gaja	Congress of an Elephant	rear	documented	Woman prone on ground, man mounts from behind as an elephant.
`ks-24`	ashva_congress	ashva_congress	Congress of a Horse	rear	documented	Rear entry with woman standing bent forward.
`ks-25`	yukta	yukta	United Congress	special	documented	One man with two women who both love him equally.
`ks-26`	goyuthika	goyuthika	Congress of a Herd of Cows	special	documented	One man with many women. Named for the bull among the herd.
`ks-27`	purushayita	purushayita	Woman Acting Man's Part	inverted	documented	Woman on top, assuming active role. For when man is fatigued or woman desires control.
`ks-28`	samdamsha	samdamsha	Tongs	inverted	documented	Woman on top grips internally like tongs while moving.
`ks-29`	bhramara	bhramara	Spinning Top	inverted	documented	Woman on top rotates her body without breaking congress.
`ks-30`	preritaka	preritaka	Swing	inverted	documented	Woman on top swings forward and back in pendular motion.
`ks-31`	nimittaka	nimittaka	Casual / Nominal	oral	documented	Holding in hand, touching with lips. First stage of oral congress.
`ks-32`	parshvadashta	parshvadashta	Biting the Sides	oral	documented	Pressing sides with fingers and lips. Second external stage.
`ks-33`	bahih_samdamsha	bahih_samdamsha	Outer Tongs	oral	documented	Gripping the tip with lips and pressing. Third external stage.
`ks-34`	antah_samdamsha	antah_samdamsha	Inner Tongs	oral	documented	Taking further in and pressing. First internal stage.
`ks-35`	chumbitaka	chumbitaka	Kissing	oral	documented	Kissing it as though kissing the lower lip.
`ks-36`	parimrishtaka	parimrishtaka	Polishing	oral	documented	Touching with the tongue everywhere, rubbing.
`ks-37`	amrachushitaka	amrachushitaka	Sucking the Mango	oral	documented	Taking half in and sucking with force.
`ks-38`	sangara	sangara	Swallowing	oral	documented	Taking the whole in. The culmination of oral congress.
`ks-39`	jalarata	jalarata	Congress in Water	special	documented	Making love in water. Vatsyayana disputes this should be practiced.

Fángzhōngshù 房中術 — 18 positions

Sù Nǚ Jīng · Dòng Xuán Zǐ · Sūn Sīmiǎo · ~2nd c. BCE – 9th c. CE

ID	Native	Romanized	English	Category	Conf.	Description
`cn-01`	龍翻	lóng fān	Dragon Turns Over	facing	documented	Woman supine, man above. Shallow-deep thrust pattern (3 shallow, 1 deep × 8). Standard face-to-face like the dragon coiling.
`cn-02`	虎步	hǔ bù	Tiger's Tread	rear	documented	Woman on hands and knees, face down. Man mounts from behind, treading like a tiger. Deep thrusts, 5×8 pattern.
`cn-03`	猿搏	yuán bó	Monkey Attack	inverted	documented	Woman on top, active role. Quick, agile movements like a wrestling monkey.
`cn-04`	蟬附	chán fù	Cicada Clings	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs drawn up and clinging to man like a cicada on a tree. Deep penetration at fixed angle.
`cn-05`	龜騰	guī téng	Tortoise Mounts	facing	documented	Woman supine, knees drawn to chest like a tortoise retreating. Man pushes legs back, deep entry.
`cn-06`	鳳翔	fèng xiáng	Phoenix Soars	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs raised high and spread like phoenix wings. Man lifts her buttocks. Upward thrusting.
`cn-07`	兔吮毫	tù shǔn háo	Rabbit Nibbles Fur	oral	documented	Man lies supine, woman above in reversed orientation. Mutual oral stimulation, gentle like a rabbit nibbling.
`cn-08`	魚接鱗	yú jiē lín	Fish Interlocking Scales	inverted	documented	Woman on top facing man, bodies interlocked like fish scales overlapping. Rhythmic rocking.
`cn-09`	鶴交頸	hè jiāo jǐng	Cranes Intertwining Necks	sitting	documented	Both seated face-to-face, necks intertwined like mating cranes. Slow, meditative rhythm.
`cn-10`	玄蝶逐花	xuán dié zhú huā	Dark Butterfly Chases Flower	inverted	asserted	Woman on top, fluttering up and down like a butterfly visiting a bloom.
`cn-11`	海鷗翔	hǎi ōu xiáng	Seagull in Flight	standing	asserted	Man lifts woman from behind, standing. She extends arms like a gliding seagull.
`cn-12`	野馬奔	yě mǎ bēn	Wild Horse Galloping	rear	asserted	Vigorous rear entry, woman prone. Man's rhythm emulates a galloping horse.
`cn-13`	游龍戲水	yóu lóng xì shuǐ	Swimming Dragon Plays in Water	special	asserted	Congress in water. Dragon frolicking metaphor. Slow undulation.
`cn-14`	鴛鴦交	yuān yāng jiāo	Mandarin Ducks Mating	side	asserted	Side-lying face-to-face, intertwined. Mandarin ducks are symbols of fidelity.
`cn-15`	竹林聯吟	zhú lín lián yín	Bamboo Grove Chorus	sitting	asserted	Both seated in garden setting, woman in man's lap. Named for the Seven Sages aesthetic.
`cn-16`	玉女登梯	yù nǚ dēng tī	Jade Girl Climbs the Ladder	standing	asserted	Woman faces wall, stepping up onto raised surface. Man enters from behind.
`cn-17`	倒牽牛	dào qiān niú	Inverted Ox-Pull	inverted	asserted	Woman on top, facing away. Reverse riding position.
`cn-18`	松鼠攀枝	sōng shǔ pān zhī	Squirrel Climbing Branch	standing	asserted	Woman wraps around standing man, clinging like a squirrel on a tree trunk.

Perfumed Garden الروض العاطر — 15 positions

Sheikh al-Nafzawi · 15th c. CE

ID	Native	Romanized	English	Category	Conf.	Description
`pg-01`	al-mudākhala	al-mudākhala	The Approach	facing	documented	First posture. Woman on back, legs apart. Man between her thighs. The standard approach.
`pg-02`	al-muqārana	al-muqārana	The Clasping	facing	documented	Woman on back, legs raised and wrapped around man's waist. Close embrace.
`pg-03`	al-muḥāḍana	al-muḥāḍana	The Pressing	facing	documented	Woman on back, thighs pressed together after entry for tightness.
`pg-04`	al-muḍājaʿa	al-muḍājaʿa	The Couch	facing	documented	Woman on back, legs on man's shoulders. Deep penetration angle.
`pg-05`	al-muṭāwala	al-muṭāwala	The Extension	facing	documented	Woman on back, legs fully extended and straight, man above.
`pg-06`	al-muqallaʿa	al-muqallaʿa	The Uprooting	facing	asserted	Woman on back, buttocks raised high on cushion. Man kneels. Inverted angle.
`pg-07`	al-labbāda	al-labbāda	The Sticking	rear	documented	Seventh posture. Woman on all fours, man from behind. Named for clinging like felt.
`pg-08`	al-muḍājaʿa al-jānibiyya	al-muḍājaʿa al-jānibiyya	The Side Coupling	side	documented	Both on sides, face to face. Gentle, conversational posture.
`pg-09`	al-muqābala al-khalfiyya	al-muqābala al-khalfiyya	The Rear Side	side	asserted	Both on sides, man behind woman. Spooning entry.
`pg-10`	al-musannada	al-musannada	The Supported	standing	documented	Tenth posture. Woman bends over furniture, man standing behind.
`pg-11`	al-muʿallaqa	al-muʿallaqa	The Suspended	standing	documented	Eleventh posture. Woman hangs from a tree branch or beam, man stands.
`pg-12`	al-khalīfa	al-khalīfa	The Caliph	inverted	asserted	Woman on top, man reclines. Named for the ruler's repose.
`pg-13`	fāris al-ḥubb	fāris al-ḥubb	The Rider of Love	inverted	asserted	Woman rides man, active thrusting. Equestrian metaphor.
`pg-14`	al-dawwāra	al-dawwāra	The Spinner	inverted	asserted	Woman on top, rotating without breaking contact.
`pg-15`	al-mujālis	al-mujālis	The Seated	sitting	asserted	Both seated face-to-face, woman in man's lap.

Greco-Roman Ars Amatoria — 13 positions

Philaenis · Ovid · Martial · 3rd c. BCE – 2nd c. CE

ID	Native	Romanized	English	Category	Conf.	Description
`gr-01`	Venus naturalis	venus naturalis	Natural Venus	facing	documented	Woman on back, legs apart. The 'natural manner' — standard missionary. Ovid recommends for petite women.
`gr-02`	Venus supina sublatis	venus supina sublatis	Raised Legs Venus	facing	inferred	Woman supine with legs elevated. Ovid: 'she whose long flank is small should be gazed upon aslant.'
`gr-03`	Venus aversa	venus aversa	Averted Venus	rear	documented	Rear entry, woman on hands and knees. Described as 'natural and fertile' because it mirrors animal mating.
`gr-04`	more ferarum	more ferarum	In the Manner of Beasts	rear	documented	Rear entry explicitly compared to animal coupling. Lucretius recommends for conception.
`gr-05`	Venus equitans	venus equitans	Riding Venus / The Horse	inverted	documented	Woman on top, riding. In Aristophanes, the 'lion on a cheese-grater' variant. Culturally coded as dominance inversion.
`gr-06`	kelēs	keles	The Racehorse	inverted	documented	Greek term for woman-on-top. The κέλης (racehorse) — she 'rides' him.
`gr-07`	Venus stans	venus stans	Standing Venus	standing	inferred	Both standing, face to face. Documented in visual art but not named in surviving texts.
`gr-08`	Venus lateralis	venus lateralis	Lateral Venus	side	inferred	Side-lying position. Ovid alludes to it for tall women: 'let her lie on her side, she who feels herself too tall.'
`gr-09`	Venus sessilis	venus sessilis	Seated Venus	sitting	inferred	Seated face-to-face. Depicted on vases but unnamed in surviving texts.
`gr-10`	irrumatio	irrumatio	Irrumation	oral	documented	Active oral penetration. Distinguished from fellatio (passive receipt). Roman power dynamic.
`gr-11`	fellatio	fellatio	Fellatio	oral	documented	Oral stimulation of the male. Latin 'fellare' = to suck.
`gr-12`	cunnilingus	cunnilingus	Cunnilingus	oral	documented	Oral stimulation of the female. Heavily stigmatized in Roman texts.
`gr-13`	hai hepta schemata	hai hepta schemata	The Seven Postures	special	inferred	Philaenis reportedly catalogued 'seven postures of coition.' Content lost. The specific seven are unrecoverable.

Ananga Ranga अनंगरंग — 32 positions

Kalyāṇamalla · 15th–16th c. CE

ID	Native	Romanized	English	Category	Conf.	Description
`ar-01`	samapada-uttana-bandha	samapada-uttana-bandha	Equal Feet Supine	facing	documented	Woman supine, both legs raised straight and placed on man's shoulders. Equal-footed.
`ar-02`	nagara-uttana-bandha	nagara-uttana-bandha	City Supine	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs drawn back to chest. Man kneels, entering from above.
`ar-03`	traivikrama-uttana-bandha	traivikrama-uttana-bandha	Stride of Viṣṇu	facing	documented	Woman supine, one leg on man's shoulder, other extended. Named for Viṣṇu's cosmic stride.
`ar-04`	vyomapada-uttana-bandha	vyomapada-uttana-bandha	Sky Foot Supine	facing	documented	Woman supine, one leg raised straight to the sky while other rests on bed.
`ar-05`	smarachakrasana	smarachakrasana	Wheel of Kāma	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs crossed above her head like the spokes of a wheel. Circular framing.
`ar-06`	avidarita	avidarita	The Unopened	facing	documented	Woman supine, thighs pressed tightly together. Entry with minimal opening.
`ar-07`	jrimbhita-asana	jrimbhita-asana	The Yawning	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs raised and spread wide apart. Related to KS vijṛmbhitakam.
`ar-08`	veshtita-asana	veshtita-asana	The Entwined	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs twined around man's body. Related to KS veṣṭitakam.
`ar-09`	venuvidarita	venuvidarita	The Bamboo Split	facing	documented	Woman supine, alternating legs on shoulder. Direct descendant of KS veṇudaritakam (splitting bamboo).
`ar-10`	sphutma-uttana-bandha	sphutma-uttana-bandha	The Bursting Supine	facing	documented	Woman supine with legs extremely wide. Maximum aperture variant.
`ar-11`	vinaka-uttana-bandha	vinaka-uttana-bandha	The Lute Supine	facing	asserted	Woman supine, body arched like a lute (vīṇā). One leg extended, one drawn up.
`ar-12`	vinaka-tiryak-bandha	vinaka-tiryak-bandha	Lute Side-lying	side	documented	Both on sides, woman's body curved like a lute. Face to face, legs intertwined.
`ar-13`	samputa-tiryak-bandha	samputa-tiryak-bandha	Casket Side-lying	side	documented	Side-lying, bodies nested like the halves of a casket (saṃpuṭa). Fully enclosed.
`ar-14`	karkata-tiryak-bandha	karkata-tiryak-bandha	Crab Side-lying	side	documented	Side-lying, legs drawn up in crab-like posture. Related to KS karkaṭakam.
`ar-15`	padma-asana	padma-asana	Lotus Seat	sitting	documented	Man in lotus, woman lowers onto him. Meditative alignment. Direct KS padmāsana.
`ar-16`	upapad-asana	upapad-asana	Approach Seat	sitting	documented	Seated face to face, woman in man's lap. Gradual approach.
`ar-17`	vaidhurit-asana	vaidhurit-asana	Cat's-Eye Seat	sitting	documented	Seated, woman rotates. Named for the shifting iridescence of cat's-eye gem.
`ar-18`	panipash-asana	panipash-asana	Hand-Bound Seat	sitting	documented	Seated, hands clasped behind each other. Locked embrace.
`ar-19`	sanyaman-asana	sanyaman-asana	Restraint Seat	sitting	documented	Seated, woman controls movement through leg grip. Restrained rhythm.
`ar-20`	kaurmak-asana	kaurmak-asana	Tortoise Seat	sitting	documented	Seated, legs drawn in like a tortoise. Compact, protected posture.
`ar-21`	parivartit-asana	parivartit-asana	Revolving Seat	sitting	asserted	Seated, woman turns 180° without disengaging. Spinning variant.
`ar-22`	yugmapad-asana	yugmapad-asana	Yoke-Foot Seat	sitting	asserted	Seated, feet interlocked like a yoke. Bound-feet stability.
`ar-23`	viparita-asana	viparita-asana	Reversed Seat	sitting	asserted	Seated, woman facing away. Reversed sitting orientation.
`ar-24`	nagabandh-asana	nagabandh-asana	Serpent Seat	sitting	asserted	Seated, bodies coiled together like mating serpents.
`ar-25`	janu-kuru-utthita-bandha	janu-kuru-utthita-bandha	Knee-Thigh Standing	standing	documented	Standing face to face, woman raises one knee to man's hip.
`ar-26`	hari-vikrama-utthita-bandha	hari-vikrama-utthita-bandha	Stride of Hari (Viṣṇu)	standing	documented	Standing, man lifts one of woman's legs high. Named for Viṣṇu's divine stride.
`ar-27`	kirti-utthita-bandha	kirti-utthita-bandha	Fame Standing	standing	documented	Standing, woman wraps both legs around man. He supports her weight.
`ar-28`	dhenuka-vyanta-bandha	dhenuka-vyanta-bandha	Cow Prone	rear	documented	Woman on all fours, man from behind. Named for the cow. Direct KS dhenuka.
`ar-29`	aibha-vyanta-bandha	aibha-vyanta-bandha	Elephant Prone	rear	documented	Woman prone, flat on stomach. Man from behind. Elephant congress.
`ar-30`	viparita-purushayita	viparita-purushayita	Reversed Woman-on-Top	inverted	documented	Standard woman on top, facing man. She assumes the active role.
`ar-31`	purushayita-bhramara	purushayita-bhramara	Spinning Top Woman	inverted	documented	Woman on top, rotating without breaking contact. AR version of KS bhramara.
`ar-32`	naganika-purushayita	naganika-purushayita	City Woman on Top	inverted	asserted	Woman on top, sophisticated rhythmic control. Named for the cultured city woman.

Ratirahasya रतिरहस्य — 16 positions

Kokkoka · 11th–12th c. CE

ID	Native	Romanized	English	Category	Conf.	Description
`rr-01`	uttana-samputa	uttana-samputa	Supine Casket	facing	asserted	Woman supine, legs together. Casket-like enclosure. Refinement of KS saṃpuṭakam.
`rr-02`	pidita-uttana	pidita-uttana	Pressed Supine	facing	asserted	Woman supine, thighs pressed together after entry. Maximum friction.
`rr-03`	jrimbhita	jrimbhita	The Yawning	facing	documented	Woman supine, legs raised and spread wide. Inherited from KS vijṛmbhitakam.
`rr-04`	utphullaka	utphullaka	The Blossoming	facing	documented	Woman supine, opens widely to accommodate. Inherited from KS utphullakam.
`rr-05`	indranika	indranika	Wife of Indra	facing	documented	Woman supine, thighs drawn to sides, feet flat. Inherited from KS.
`rr-06`	ardha-pidita	ardha-pidita	Half Pressed	facing	asserted	One leg on shoulder, other extended. Asymmetric. Cf. KS ardhapīḍitakam.
`rr-07`	venu-vidarita	venu-vidarita	Splitting Bamboo	facing	documented	Alternating legs on shoulder. Direct KS inheritance (veṇudaritakam).
`rr-08`	ratisundara	ratisundara	Beautiful Rati	facing	asserted	Woman supine with legs gracefully arranged. Named for Rati, wife of Kāma.
`rr-09`	gokula	gokula	Cow Village	rear	asserted	Woman on all fours, man from behind. Named for the cowherd village.
`rr-10`	hastika	hastika	Elephant Play	rear	asserted	Woman prone, man from behind. Elephant-weight metaphor.
`rr-11`	padma-rata	padma-rata	Lotus Love	sitting	asserted	Man in lotus, woman on his lap. Meditative congress.
`rr-12`	yugma-asana	yugma-asana	Yoke Seat	sitting	asserted	Seated face to face, legs interlocked like a yoke.
`rr-13`	viparita-rata	viparita-rata	Reversed Love	inverted	documented	Woman on top, active role. The purushayita concept from KS.
`rr-14`	lilasana	lilasana	Playful Seat	inverted	asserted	Woman on top, playful rocking. Lila = divine play.
`rr-15`	sthita-rata	sthita-rata	Standing Love	standing	asserted	Standing congress, wall-supported. Cf. KS sthitarata.
`rr-16`	auparishtaka	auparishtaka	Upper Congress	oral	documented	Oral congress. Kokkoka follows KS taxonomy but with less stigma.

Positions

Overview

Traditions

Category × Tradition Distribution

Tradition Vectors v(t) ∈ ℤ&sup8;

Cosine Similarity Matrix

Information Theory

Shannon Entropy H(t)

KL Divergence DKL(row ‖ col)

Phylogenetic Tree (UPGMA)

Graph Analysis

Hub Positions (highest degree)

Topological Feature Space φ: P → [0,1]&sup8;

Topological Cluster Centroids (radar)

Tradition Centroids in Feature Space

PCA Projection (PC1 vs PC2)

Equivalence Classes [p]ε

Group Theory Preview

Cross-Tradition Mappings (top 30)

Full Position Data by Tradition

Shijūhatte 四十八手 — 48 positions

Kāmasūtra कामसूत्र — 39 positions

Fángzhōngshù 房中術 — 18 positions

Perfumed Garden الروض العاطر — 15 positions

Greco-Roman Ars Amatoria — 13 positions

Ananga Ranga अनंगरंग — 32 positions

Ratirahasya रतिरहस्य — 16 positions

KL Divergence D_KL(row ‖ col)

Equivalence Classes [p]_ε