Enter the "Daughter's Country" and reveal the mystery of "men will not marry women unless they marry"

"Every distant place/has a temptation for me/not the temptation of beauty/but the temptation of legends" (Wang Guozhen's words). Lugu Lake is located on the edge of Daliang Mountain in Sichuan and at the junction of Sichuan and Yunnan. It is famous for its beautiful natural scenery and the legendary Mosuo "Axia" walking marriage custom, and has become a "highlight" for outsiders to visit here. . The magical legend inspired a strong desire to find out, so in late spring in April, we set off from Chengdu and traveled a long distance into this so-called "last daughter's country in the world". After two days of on-site visits, we not only experienced The beautiful natural scenery of Lugu Lake also gave us a preliminary understanding of the unique ethnic customs of the Mosuo people.

"Photographers" flocked to the Love Walking Marriage Bridge

On the evening of April 6, we took a train and arrived in Xichang, the capital of Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture, after a ten-hour long journey, to rest. One night, I transferred to the special bus from Xichang to Lugu Lake the next morning. After more than seven hours of arduous journey over mountains and ridges, I finally arrived at the destination - Lugu Lake at four o'clock in the afternoon.

According to the itinerary, the first attraction we visited was the famous Walking Wedding Bridge. The walking wedding bridge, formerly known as Caohai Bridge, spans Caohai and is more than 300 meters long. It is an important passage connecting the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Mosuo women are called "Axia" in the local dialect. They believe that "men do not marry and women do not marry." Caohai Bridge is the main thoroughfare for their walking marriages. Therefore, it is known as "the best love magpie bridge in the world". It is vividly called "Lover's Bridge" by today's young people.

"Wow, it's so beautiful!" As soon as we got off the bus, the ladies couldn't help but cheer. Everyone was captured by the beautiful scenery in front of them, and they all took out their cameras and clicked wildly. Shoot it.

It is almost evening, and the long figure of the "Walking Wedding Bridge" is projected diagonally on the sea of ??grass under the setting sun, looking hazy and mysterious. The sea of ??grass is dyed into a luminous golden yellow by the sun, mixed with the emerging tender green in the middle, and the edges are connected with fields and mountains. The long water plants occasionally reveal a few blue puddles in the middle, and the clouds stretch their soft reflections in them. At this time, several Mosuo girls came to sell us national costumes. Their brown-red faces reflected the afterglow of the sunset, which was just a bright embellishment among the golden and green...

Surrounded by poetry and painting, It makes people imagine, as if a pair of young Mosuo "brothers" and "mei" were holding hands and walking with light steps, showing us the fascinating journey of walking marriage. Therefore, under the dual influence of legend and reality, the handsome guys and beauties traveling with them either "coquettishly" against the railings, or stood in groups hugging each other, setting up POS, leaving behind a "beautiful image".

Chengdu’s “Elder Brother” stayed away from his sister at the Guozhuang Dance

After visiting the “Walking Bridge”, everyone visited the “Lama Temple” located on the coast of Caohai under the guidance of a tour guide , listen to Lama’s sermons and learn about Tibetan Buddhism. Afterwards, we stayed at the Mosuo Style Hotel at Busu Pier to eat and rest, and recharge ourselves to prepare for the main event of this trip - the Guozhuang bonfire party that night.

Waiting until 8 o'clock in the evening, accompanied by the strong and sensational "Little brother, little brother, we are destined to come thousands of miles to meet..." "Little sister, little sister, come to meet across mountains and rivers..." ..." "Lugu Lake Love Song", the Guozhuang bonfire party kicked off under the night.

As soon as we entered the scene of the Guozhuang party, we were deeply infected by the generosity and enthusiasm of the Mosuo people: in the middle of the huge courtyard surrounded by wooden houses, the blazing bonfire glowed red. In the night sky, more than a dozen dignified, beautiful and slender Mosuo girls, wearing thick black braids decorated with various small flowers, wearing red gold-edged coats and colorful silk flower belts around their waists, are uniquely dressed. Dressed up in pleated skirts, handsome brothers have already lined up waiting aside, welcoming guests from afar with their friendly smiles. At this time, I saw a tall and handsome Mosuo young man, holding a homemade piccolo, playing cheerful dance music. Beautiful Mosuo women and men in colorful costumes held hands and danced the "Jiachu Dance". The warm bonfire, brightly colored national costumes, and hospitable Mosuo friends soon made the somewhat reserved tourists relax physically and mentally, with passion surging in their chests, and they began to join the dancing team one after another.

The unrestrained and enthusiastic "Jiachu Dance", jumping and rotating around the blazing bonfire, brings the guests and the hosts closer, and also integrates the "emotions between nations".

"Jiasao Dance" is a festive and carnival group dance inherited by the ancestors of the Mosuo people. It is also a carrier for young Mosuo men and women to convey their affection and find "Axiao". The girl and the boy hold each other's hands and hold their arms tightly. During the dance, if the girl falls in love with the boy, or if the boy falls in love with the girl, he will gently tap the palm of the other party's hand twice. If the other party is interested, he will gently Squeeze each other's hand twice, then quietly and quietly exit, go to the lake for a tryst, and go to the flower house to get married. If the other party has no intention, she (he) will hold the hands of the left and right dance partners together, withdraw by herself, and go to the person she likes. The flames danced and flickered in the dark night, reflecting on the flower tower and the faces of the passionate dancers. People kept saying "Alo, Alo, Alo..." one wave after another. The ground screamed and danced wildly.

The people holding my left and right hands were both Mosuo girls. I don’t know if it was because of my psychology, but I seemed to feel itching in the palm of my hand. I secretly glanced at their faces, which were flushed as they jumped under the bonfire. They were completely intoxicated in the singing and dancing. Then I looked back at the other people in the group. Everyone was dancing or taking photos, and they were all busy.

During the break between singing and dancing, we returned to the "buddies". Everyone communicated with each other, discussed their opinions on Mosuo beauties, and teased each other to see who could be brave enough to find a beautiful girl for a walking marriage, but it was all "verbal" Revolutionaries", all talk but no practice. Several people who had passionately expressed their desire to be happy "Adu" before, but when faced with the real Mosuo Amei, those "desires" that were ready to move suddenly died down, and no one really took action until the end of the party. , but the charm of Mosuo girls still makes these "brothers" from the city unable to show off, and they all rush to take photos with the most beautiful girls among them.

Boating on Mother Lake and being mesmerized by the picturesque scenery

After more than ten hours of trekking thousands of miles and the singing and dancing carnival that night, everyone was extremely tired until about eight o'clock in the morning of the next day Just got up, hurriedly finished breakfast and started to swim around the lake.

After walking through the long trestle, we arrived at the Caohai Beach at Bushu Wharf, boarded the Mosuo people’s unique canoe - the pig trough boat, and a bright mirror-like lake unfolded before our eyes. Lugu Lake opens her beautiful veil to us like a shy girl.

If we say that part of the previous doubts about Lugu Lake stem from the mysterious walking marriage custom of the Mosuo people that "men do not marry and women do not marry". Then when you wander among the green mountains and green waters, you will have more of a pure and religious awe - Lugu Lake, the sacred mother lake of the Mosuo people, also gives the outsiders who come here a sense of spiritual awe. Baptism on.

In the eyes of the Mosuo people who are centered on motherhood, the gods are goddesses, the mountains are mother mountains, and the lakes are mother lakes. Lugu Lake is revered as the Mother Lake by the Mosuo people. It is 2,690 meters above sea level, with a water area of ??58.8 square kilometers, a deepest point of more than 90 meters, and a transparency of up to 12 meters. In Tingting Yuli, there are various islands, peninsulas or islands connected by seawalls. The trees are lush, green and beautiful. You are immersed in it, as if you are placed in a wonderful landscape painting, which makes people linger and forget to leave. Boating on the blue waves and walking slowly among seaweed flowers, it feels like you are sailing into a fairyland, like a dream, and you have truly entered a beautiful and ethereal fairy tale world. Lugu Lake in the early morning looks like a Mosuo girl just waking up from her sleep, lazy, mysterious and charming. In the slight drizzle, the vast lake was covered with mist, making it appear deep and peaceful. After the rain and the sky clear, the sun shines through the gaps in the clouds onto the lake, shining with silvery light. The mountains on both sides of the river and the white clouds in the sky are reflected in the soft, brocade-like ripples of the water, which is distinctive and bright. It makes people truly appreciate the soft and broad maternal beauty of Lugu Lake that can only be understood but cannot be expressed in words. Driving on the pig trough boat, I couldn't help but put my hands into the crystal clear lake water, and the cool and sweet feeling filled my heart. It seems that time has frozen, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, without worries and desires, there is only this beautiful landscape in the eyes and heart, and the soul is purified and baptized.

After about a 50-minute boat ride from Busuu Pier, we arrived at Liwubi Island, a small island in the middle of the lake. We left the boat and went ashore along the mountains. The path climbed step by step, and a temple appeared in front of us. In addition to the Lama Temple, Liwubi Temple also has the tomb of the last chieftain, Mani Dou and other cultural relics. Standing on the island, looking around, green mountains, clear water, blue sky, and white clouds are all displayed in front of you. At this time, the sunlight reflects on the water, and a clear green and golden temple, a small boat going to and from the lake, and low-flying water birds form a harmonious and beautiful picture, just like being in a fairyland on earth! At this time, I deeply felt the incisive judgment of the American explorer Mr. Joseph Gecko: "This is a place only suitable for gods to live."

Visit the Mosuo homeland to feel the national charm

After appreciating the poetic and picturesque scenery of Caohai, Lianghai and the small island in the middle of the lake, more than four hours have passed without realizing it. At noon, we arrived at the Lugu Lake Scenic Area in Luoshui Village, Lijiang, Yunnan.

I have heard from friends before that Lugu Lake is the double world between Sichuan and Yunnan. Because the government has attached great importance to the development of Yunnan scenic spots early, the hardware and software are very advanced, and the tourism environment is very good. It is vividly called a developed " Capitalism", while Sichuan scenic spots have only begun to be developed in recent years and have poor conditions. They are jokingly called "socialism" in development by tourists. When I came to the border of Yunnan, I felt that it was indeed very lively. The various shops in Luoshui Village were densely packed and large in size. Their facades also had their own characteristics. There were a wide variety of tourist supplies, and the prices were cheaper than those in Sichuan. The merchants selling things were also very good. Amiable. So after dinner, everyone walked around the Mosuo Style Street in Luoshui, choosing their favorite jade articles, bracelets, local specialties and other products. When the tour guide gathered people to visit Mosuo people's homes, almost everyone was carrying a bag on their shoulders, and they gained a lot.

The hotel we visited is called "Mosuo Home". The "Mulengzi" house is located in the center of the street. The courtyard with two floors and one ground floor is very spacious. The whole building has a beautiful and simple style, and the interior is neatly arranged. Bright is a typical Mosuo family.

According to the Mosuo girl who explained it to us, there are now nearly 20,000 Mosuo people living on the banks of Lugu Lake. Most of them still maintain the customs of "matrilineal family" and "walking marriage", which is called the world's largest Mosuo people. The only matriarchal tribe in the world and the "living fossil" of human society. The Mosuo people live in courtyards built of wood, including mother houses, flower houses, thatched buildings, scripture halls, etc. The architectural style is primitive and simple, each with specific functions; they practice "men do not marry, women do not marry, and families do not separate" The Axia walking marriage system has formed a matrilineal family with no relationship between husband and wife, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and sister-in-law. The children follow the mother's surname, the mother controls the money, the uncle controls the etiquette, and the family lives in harmony; the Mosuo people believe in Tibetan Buddhism and mother-in-law. Religion, purifying the soul and praying in religious places such as lamasery, manidui, and sutra halls; traditional festivals such as the Mountain and Sea Festival, Sun and Moon Sacrifice, and the Goddess Gemu Celebration, as well as important life rituals such as rice wine, adultery, and funerals. , rich and colorful, with profound connotations and strong national characteristics.

After roughly understanding the basic situation and national customs of the Mosuo people, we finally visited the Mosuo people’s scripture hall under the guidance of a tour guide and listened to the living Buddha explain the origin, development and economic impact of Buddhism and Tibetan medicine. In terms of social significance, some people also received diagnosis and treatment from living Buddhas. Through the visit, everyone not only increased their knowledge and felt the profoundness of China's ethnic minority culture, but also was infected by the unique and magical civilization created by the hard-working and intelligent Mosuo people, and their hearts were deeply shocked by its national charm.

At around 4 p.m., we ended our tour of Luoshui Village Scenic Area in Yunnan and got on the bus to return along the Lugu Lake Scenic Area Road. On the way, we visited Aokua Mosuo Village, the observation deck and the cultural image of Lugu Lake. Ambassador Yang Erche's grandmother's house and other tourist attractions returned to her base in Sichuan - Busuu "Mosuo Style Garden" in the evening. After eating and drinking, she rested overnight and arrived at 7:00 a.m. on the 9th. Under the drizzle and mist, we embarked on the way back to Chengdu. We stopped briefly in Xichang on the way and visited Qionghai, a plateau lake. We took the train in the evening and returned to Chengdu at 6:30 a.m. on the 10th. It was full of romance and passion. , the trip to Lugu Lake carrying beautiful memories came to a successful conclusion.

Goodbye, the mysterious and beautiful Lugu Lake; Goodbye, the gentle and affectionate little Mosuo girl; when the golden chrysanthemums bloom all over the mountain, we will "meet each other across mountains and rivers." Madami - little sister; Madami - Lugu Lake!

Notes:

①Axiao - the name Mosuo men and women call each other to their lovers

②Axia - the name Mosuo men call their lovers during walking marriages The name of the lover

③Adu - the name Mosuo women give to their male lovers during walking marriage

④Daba - the god of wisdom believed by the Mosuo people, equivalent to the Han people The Bodhisattva

⑤Madami - Mosuo language means "I love you"

⑥Mother Lake - Lugu Lake, Mosuo people respect their mother the most, Lugu Lake It is a holy lake in his heart, so he compares it to his mother.