Abstract: Changes in the economy and society of contemporary China have contributed to the coming out of homosexual identities and formation of homosexual communities. Based on a field study in Chengdu and from a constructivist perspective， this paper examines three identities among homosexual men in the local contextthe emergence and change of “the wandering （piao piao），” “comrades （tongzhi），” and “gay.” Although these three identity terms are being used interchangeably by the male homosexuals in Chengdu， they imply different cultural references and political connotations. The author argues that the “piao piao” identity serves as a critical linkage between the traditional and modern homosexual identities， whereas the “tongzhi” identity facilitates the shift of homosexual expression from behavior to identity in contemporary China， thus helping the formation and development of homosexual communities.

Key words:

“Piaopiao”, homosexuality, identity