1. Origins of the Stereotype Influence of Orientalism and Colonial Views These exquisite portraits are from "A General History of Chinese Costumes" by Professor Liu Yonghua (刘永华教授) of the Shanghai Theatre Academy During the 18th and 19th centuries , European colonial powers not only dominated Asian lands and resources but also crafted racial narratives to demean Asian cultures and societies . In these orientalist views, Asian men were often portrayed as weak , less masculine , and inferior compared to European men . Colonial Europeans used various claims to establish their superiority, one being the notion that Asian men had inferior sexual capabilities , including assertions about penis size . This was reinforced by: Exoticism towards African men: Black individuals were often associated with extreme masculinity, positioning Asian men as the opposite. Narratives in colonial literature: Some Western writers visiting Asia created demea...