Travel
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 02:09
Written by Joe Schaefer

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The matriarchal society of Lugu Lake is one of the hidden wonders of Yunnan Province

My first, true encounter with the unique residents living near Lugu Lake came from the young boy paddling our canoe. He was a fresh faced lad of 13, but already he spoke with maturity and ease. Still, it wasn’t long before someone at the back chimed in with a question: “So, how many girls have you slept with?” 

Our young pilot answered wearily, “Um, eight so far.”

It’s a surprising question, and an even more surprising answer in most social contexts, but not for the region of Lugu Lake. Lugu is home to a unique tribe known as the Mosuo people, a sub-clan of the Naxi ethnic minority of Yunnan, famed throughout the world for their matriarchal society, which centers around a practice known as 走婚 (zou hun), or walking marriage’ (or ‘booty call’ to use the American slang of our times). A ‘walking marriage’ begins with the man signaling the object of his desire using a discrete tap of his finger to her palm while clasping her hand. If the lady deems the man worthy, she can signal back with three taps (we’re on!), or she can choose not to respond at all (cold shower time) In the event of the affirmative, the man can then sneak to her window at night and climb up a rope into her bedroom and then proceed, as they say, to “ride it like he stole it” until blue in the morning. Yet come dawn, the man has to up sticks and make the ‘walk of shame’ home. Hence walking marriage.

“You don’t seem too excited about all the walking marriages you are doing,” said the most astute observer of our travel group.

“It’s tiring, I have to go try and find a girl every night.”  

Our young guide then explained that he and all his brothers sleep on the floor in the same dark, spartan room.  Since he has come of age, his uncle (collectively the males take care of the children; fathers are not singularly responsible for their babies, so every man is an ‘uncle’) yells at them nightly, forcing the reluctant boys to venture out in order to find a special lady friend to share a bed with. Women each receive their own bedroom after coming of age, equipped with a TV, an AC and fancy bed sheets.    

There was another question from someone on the boat: “What do you think about Yang Erche Namu?

The youth answered without hesitation: “I hate her.”

Yang Erche Namu is the former Mosuo resident who is believed to have single handedly brought Lugu Lake and its people to the attention of the rest of the world with her 1997 autobiography, 走出女儿国　(Leaving the Kingdom of Daughters).  The canoe captain explained that life before all the exposure was easy going. He didn’t have any money, but he could wake up in the afternoon, wander around the field for a while and pretend to work, and then stroll home to prepare for the bonfire parties which act as the preferred meeting place for walking marriage candidates.  

Now, with all the tourists around, he has to row a boat all day long. And he still doesn’t have any money. In the matriarchal Mosuo culture, the majority of money goes straight to the Grandma, and the word on the street today is that Granny has a serious Mahjong problem.

Whether popular among her own people or not, most travelers to the region will likely want to thank Ms. Yang for introducing this fascinating area to the rest of the world.  China may be known for its polluted waters, but Lugu Lake is stunningly beautiful, and safe to drink from – according to our canoe-mates, who took mouthfuls from its sparkling surface. But locals are still protective of the main attraction and we were strictly prohibited (rightly so) from tossing any litter overboard.  

Jaw-dropping scenery aside, what makes Lugu Lake truly remarkable is its people. Enough can’t be said about how refreshing it is to come across such a fascinating, laid-back, friendly culture that despite being so poor still seems largely unconcerned with making lots of money. Even after reaching the far shore, our canoe paddling guides humbly refused our tips, and a young homeless boy insisted on buying our entire group food after a woman was kind enough to let him toy around with her camera. It was a striking experience. Although still fairly unknown by Western tourists, Lugu Lake should be seen by anyone who plans to visit Yunnan.

Travel Pack
 How to get there
A 6-7 hour bus ride from Lijiang (approx RMB60)

Where to stay
Numerous guest houses line the lake and range from cheap (RMB50) to expensive (RMB500) depending on how nice a view you want.

What to do
The sports adverse can opt for the van tour which costs RMB150 split between seven passengers. It lasts five hours and covers the majority of scenic spots, including a tour of a Mosuo family home. The hardier traveler can choose to rent a bike (RMB30) and make a trip around the entire lake (which takes most of the day). Be warned, the bike trip is a challenge, but a rewarding one as the back leg of the lake snakes through the undeveloped villages. Also, take a ride on the 猪槽船 (Zhucao chuan or ‘pig trough boat’) to an island on the lake. At night, join in the bonfire celebration for RMB20 a person. Be warned: it’s replete with fat, bald middle-aged tourists trying to get their walking marriage on.

What to eat
Try a whole BBQ pig, BBQ duck eggs or BBQ potatoes. You get the picture.

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