Social : End a program of study 1963 (Dropped out of school)
Family : Change residence October 1964 (Moved to Peking) chart Placidus Equal_H.
Relationship : Meet a significant person 23 December 1964 (Shi Peipu) chart Placidus Equal_H.
Family : Change residence 1965 (To the Amazon)
Family : Change in family responsibilities 1966 (Shi adopted child, claimed it to be theirs)
Relationship : Begin significant relationship 1974 (Started long-term relationship with Thierry Toulet)
Family : Change residence 1977 (Relocated back to Asia)
Family : Change residence 1979 (Moved family to Paris)
Social : Institutionalized - prison, hospital July 1984 (Imprisoned for espionage, 49 months) chart Placidus Equal_H.
Work : New Career 1989 (Became an apprentice chef)
French minor administrator who had a affair in China that was so romantic and so strange that it gave birth to the sensational New York play, M. Butterfly. The play won a Tony award and was later made into a film starring British actor Jeremy Irons. It told the story of a great love affair between the young accountant at the French Embassy in Peking and his Chinese mistress, Shi Peipu. They even parented a child whom they raised, before the strange truth came out, that Shi Peipu was not a woman. Bernard Boursicot was the son of a merchant in a small town in Brittany, one of four brothers. In 1963, as a 19-year-old high-school dropout, he went to Algeria where he took a low-level administration job. The strictly brought-up Catholic boy had his first sexual experience in Morocco, with a prostitute. He said it had been cheap and fast, not something he enjoyed but did "to prove to myself that I was not a homosexual." He moved on to Peking in October 1964 where he became an Embassy bookkeeper, a great adventure in newly opened Red China. At a party two days before Christmas 1964, he met Shi Peipu, a witty young man who was a singer and actor, versed in playing both male and female roles. A fun-loving man who might be seen with one hand shackled to a diplomatic pouch and the other carrying a case of beer, he was not dissuaded by the fact that relationships between Chinese and foreigners were frowned upon. The 20-year-old youth began a clandestine affair with the 26-year-old Shi Peipu, thinking that he was a woman. The question is inevitable of how can a man not know that his mistress is another man? Shi Peipu was delicate and small in stature, with small hands and no facial hair, and the Chinese women often were small busted. He taped his genitals close to his body and during love-making kept his legs closed and oiled so that the comparatively inexperienced Boursicot believed he was making sexual entry. Shi assumed a modest stance and never allowed Boursicot to see him nude or fondle him. In 1965 Boursicot traveled to the Amazon for several years. Shi adopted a child in early 1966 and told Boursicot that the boy was their son. It is speculated that the baby was purchased in Chinese Turkestan, where many of the natives have Caucasian features. Their affair lasted sexually no more than a few months but they loved each other for 19 years, and both bonded with close attachments to the child, for whom they shared custody. Boursicot even took the boy at 16 to Brittany to meet his grandparents. Boursicot began a homosexual affair in 1974 with Thierry Toulet, a long-term committed relationship. When he returned to Asia in 1977, Shi was more like an ex-wife for whom he still cared as the mother of his beloved child, he began to pass French documents to the Chinese in exchange for papers to get Shi and Bertrand admitted into France. He was finally able to arrange for his family to move to Paris, in 1979. Within months of Shi Peipus arrival, French counterespionage agents arrested them both, charging them with espionage. Boursicot was sent to prison in July 1984 where he served a term of 49 months. He protested that his story was a love affair and not a spy thriller. Shi Peipu was sentenced to 19 months due to poor health, undergoing heart surgery. The true situation was exposed when Shi was examined by prison doctors. Boursicot, hearing the news in prison, refused for months to believe it. When he accepRead less
Born on August 12, 1944, in Vannes, France.
As of the latest updates, there haven't been any significant news articles focusing on Bernard Boursicot in mainstream media. He remains a relatively private figure, and there are no recent developments regarding his public life or activities.
Bernard Boursicot does not maintain an active presence on popular social media platforms. He prefers to keep a low profile, and there are no official accounts associated with his name on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Any accounts found under his name are likely unofficial or fan-created.
Information on Bernard Boursicot's recent projects is not readily available. He has not been publicly linked to any major projects, collaborations, or initiatives in recent years. His public activities seem to have diminished, and he has chosen to maintain privacy regarding any professional endeavors.
Bernard Boursicot is a former French diplomat known for his role in a famous espionage scandal during the 20th century. His involvement in the espionage case captured international attention and was widely covered by media outlets at the time. However, in recent years, he has retreated from the public eye.
Boursicot was embroiled in a Cold War espionage case involving Chinese opera singer Shi Pei Pu. The case became notorious due to its complex and unusual nature, involving elements of deception and romance. Boursicot's story was later adapted into a play and a film, further cementing its place in popular culture.
The espionage case involving Bernard Boursicot has had a lasting impact on cultural perceptions of espionage and romance. The story was adapted into the stage play "M. Butterfly" by David Henry Hwang, which was later turned into a movie directed by David Cronenberg. These adaptations have contributed to the ongoing interest in Boursicot's story, despite his personal preference for privacy.
Currently, Bernard Boursicot leads a private life away from the public spotlight. He has not made any recent public appearances or statements regarding his past or present activities. His decision to maintain privacy suggests a desire to distance himself from the events that once brought him international recognition.
Bernard Boursicot, born in Vannes, France, is best known for his involvement in an international espionage case during the Cold War. While his story has been immortalized through various cultural adaptations, he has chosen to live a life away from public scrutiny in recent years. His absence from social media and lack of recent projects highlight his preference for privacy.