Mosuo People Customs & Lugu Lake

Close to the lake is Mt.Shizi, 3800meters around of the sea level. It is a Mountain Goddess, dominating the agriculture, population and love affairs etc there.

Around mountains Goddess are mountains of men and they are all the lovers of the goddess. Around the lake, there is an ancient nationality - the Mosuo nationality. Up to now, the Mosuo people retain the vestiges of matriarchal society. Their wedding custom is famous for its strange ceremonies.

Marriage free - "Azhu" Lovers

Mosuo People are Loving-free. Once Mosuo girls 15 years old, and the boys are 17, they are allowed to start their lovings. The lovers (Local People Called the "Female" as "Axia" and "male" as "Azhu") found each other freely. Mosuo people are good in singing and dancing. The young people dancing together and singing in Musou language to express their love.

Usually "Axia" has a special "Azhu" house to meet her lover. Her lover visits her during night usually and leave in the eariler morning. And the man left his shoes just our side of the gate of "Azhu House" to indicated that no other man coming now!
If the girl wishes to stop the love affair, she closed the door of her "Azhu House" to the man. Then the man will not come again. The love affair is finished. The lovers have no economic or any legal relationship. It is based on mutual love affection only. The wiliness of the females are very respected.

Single Mothers

The children will growing up with their mother and uncles. They inherit their surnames from their mother. They even don't know who is their father.
Woman is the head of the family. Women are in charge of most works in the society.
These "single mothers" are happy. The uncles  play the male part in the family and looking after the boys. Such blood connection may be more stable than the love-based marriage & duty. What an unique but wise arrangement.

Adult Ceremony

When the Mosuo children grow to 13 years old, they will through a special "Adult Ceremony" to become the adults.

The "Adult ceremony" always be held on the New Year's Day. The mother helps the girls to wear beautiful new dresses and jewels. The uncle helps the boys to wear new clothes and waist knifes.

On the Adult Ceremony, the girls stand at the "Female Rank"; the boys stand at the "Male Rank". They keep one fool on the pork meat, one foot on the rice bag - the symbol of a rich life.

After the Adult Ceremony, they are allowed to attend all the adult activities. After 15 years they can meet their lovers.

Religion and Society

The relationships between the members of the Mosuo large families are very nice. They always looking after each other, caring and pay respect & priority to the old people, the illness and disabled people.

The Mosuo people's religion is Naturism. The Gamu Mountain is their Goddess Mountain. In August "Turn-Mountain Festival", the Mosuo people will come together, climbing the Gamu Mountain to show their  respects.

After dying Mosuo people usually perform the cremate. They believe that human has the soul, it has to be freed from the dead body and becoming the "Skirt Soul" to the Heaven.
They believe that a child has no soul yet, so if a child died, the body has to be buried.