Mosuo People and their Daily Life

0 COMMENTS

Despite of the natural landscapes of lake and mountains, the local ethnic minorities are another attraction for thousands of visitors coming here every year. Living in the small villages, there are seven nationalities: Mongol, Yi, Han, Tibetan, Naxi, Bai, Zhuang. Mongol is the biggest ethnic minorities living there. Why other places say Mosuo is the biggest one? That is because Mosuo are what the locals call themselves and after 1949 Mosuo people were classified into Mongol and Naxi.

Mosuo Family around Lugu Lake

Mosuo People

Mosuo is the biggest ethnic minority living in the small towns and villages around the Lugu Lake. After liberation in 1949, the first time of nationality recognition classify Mosuo in Yunnan into Naxi and Mosuo in Sichuan into Mongol. However, the locals call themselves as Mosuo people and other tourists coming here call them Mosuo people, so the local people are known as Mosuo people.

Mosuo Daily life

The Mosuo are largely self-sufficient, and they can raise everything they need for day-to-day life. Walking among the local village, you will find out that most people work on raising crops, like grains, potatoes, and some care for live stock like yaks, water buffalos sheep, poultry, etc. They preserve redundant pork for future eating and make it be salted or smoked. They can make their own alcohol called Sulima which can be offered to guests or drunk at important ceremonies and festivals.

Fishing of Mosuo Family

Mosuo Matriarchal Culture

The Mosuo is one of the most fascinating minority groups in China. Matriarchal cultural is commonly used to describe this group. But the truth is much more complicated and interesting than that. In general, Mosuo women take a leading role in the family and have more power in many respects similar to that in other cultures. They own property and can make major business decision. Therefore, Lugu Lake is known as the "County of Women".

Another more interesting custom is the practice of "walking marriage", meaning that couples do not marry, but rather women can choose or change partners as they with.

Mosuo Language

Actually, there is not much historical materials describing the history and origins of the Mosuo culture. Because the Mosuo do not have a written language, and their entire history is an oral history passed from generation to generation, mostly through local priests called "Daba". For Mosuo oral language, it can be divided into three categories, due to the effect of other language. One is the Mosuo in Yongning, and their oral language is affected by Tibetan and Han languages. One is the Mosuo in Langqu, and their oral language is affected by Han and Yi languages. Another is in Labo, and their oral language is affected by Pumi, Naxi and Susu. Therefore, it is common that the locals can say two or more languages.

Mosuo Legend

There is a local legend about the formation of Lugu Lake. In the long time, here is a big village. But then one day, there is a Mosuo woman who was feeding her pigs and her two children were playing nearby. A flood suddenly happened and submerged the whole village in the short time. The Mother put her two children on a pig trough, and two children survived but she was carried away by the flood. Later, they became the ancestor of the Mosuo. In order to express memory of their mother, they used a whole log to make a "Pig Though Boat" and called Lugu Lake as "Mother Lake".

Mosuo Costume

Both the male and female of the Mosuo like to dress very brightly in costumes that resemble Latin American traditional clothing. The male may wear felt hat, jacket with golden surple, and dress gauchos with cowboy hats and a dagger on the waist. The female wear thick and long coiled fake braid, earring and ornaments of gold and silver and bronze, black or red lint jacket, long silver necklace to chest, long white skirt like a Tubular.

Mosuo Children

Mosuo Dwellings

Mosuo Dwellings are built near the mountains or by the river. Most of them are made of ring-shaped wood and quadrate wood. The roofs are also wood but nowadays are covered by tiles. Usually, a dwellings consists of four two-storey houses which are Zhengfang, Huafang, Scripture Hall and Menlou. They make up a Siheyuan.

Zhengfang, with complex structure, is the place for dining, discussing, worshipping ceremony and bedroom of children and the elderly. The left house of Zhengfang is the bedroom of the housewife. The right is kitchen. Huafang is the bedroom of young woman and it is convenient for she to contact male Axia alone. Jingtang is the wing room in which their monks chant scriptures every day. Menlou, also called as Caolou, is the affiliate of the gate. The gate is located in the center of low Menlou, aside is house for livestock and up Menlou for storing forage and others.

Huafang of Mosuo Family for Young Woman

Mosuo Religions

The Mosuo people practice two religions: one is their own religion called Daba; and the other is Tibetan Buddhism which was introduced into Lugu Lake area in the early Yuan Dynasty. Daba is the ancestor worship religion and is one part of their culture for thousands of years. Since the Mosuo have no written language, their history and traditions are passed on orally from generation to generation, and it is primarily the responsibility of the Daba priest to memorize this and keep it for future generation. When traditional ceremonies at main events, such as naming a child, child puberty rite, a funeral, and the Spring Festival, the Daba priest will be called on to perform.

Tibetan Buddhism plays a larger role in their daily life. When you are visiting in a Mosuo community, you will see the effect of Tibetan Buddhism everywhere, such as prayer flags hanging on houses and trees, women walking around spinning prayer wheels, Tibetan monks walking the streets or inhabiting monasteries. It is said, many Mosuo families will send at least one male to be trained as a monk, so the number of monks has increased in the recent years.

Fishing of Mosuo Family

Mosuo Festivals

In a year, the Mosuo people have many unique festivals, such as Dibu, Reidan, Bokuosibu, Wagua, Nklimi, Kushi.

From the first week of December to the 15th day of the first month next year, the Mosuo people host grand Kushi, similar to the Spring Festival of Han nationality.

On Jan.12th of the lunar calendar, the Mosuo people will host the worship ceremony for Shepherd God. They will prepare a rich breakfast to entertain the grazier. The must-have dish is the pork heart.

Nklimi is hosted in May, similar to the Dragon Boat Festival of Han. At that time, they have the worship ceremonies for their ancestors and the God.

On July 25st, the Mosuo people host Waguaheigua. The mountain is not the only one - Gemu Mountain in Yongning. They walk around the mountain on the bottom of which their villages stand.

In October, Mosuo people host Bokuosibu in which they invite Daba or Lama to choose a good day to kill the pig for the New Year. On the same day, worshiping ceremony of their ancestors will be hosted.

Dibu is hosted to worship the Earth God on Nov.30th in the lunar calendar for the good harvest of the next year. The locals invite Daba to chant scriptures.

Guozhuang Dance of Mosuo Group Guozhuang Dance of Mosuo Grou