Mosuo

The Mosuo are an ethnic group living around Lugu Lake on the border of Yunnan and Sichuan in southwest China. Estimated to number between 50,000 and 60,000 people, they are officially recognized as a distinct ethnic group within China under the name Mosuo. The Mosuo language, a Tibeto-Burman language closely related to Naxi, is spoken alongside Mandarin.

Socially, the Mosuo are known for a matrilineal and matrilocal system. Descent and property are traced through the female line, and households are typically led by the oldest woman. Children remain in their mother's household, while fathers may visit the family for limited periods. The most famous practice associated with the Mosuo is the walking marriage, in which a man visits a woman's house at night but does not reside there; romantic relationships do not involve cohabitation, and paternal ties are defined differently from patrilineal societies. Women hold authority in the home, and elder women manage economic and household affairs.

Religious beliefs combine indigenous ancestor worship and nature spirits with Tibetan Buddhist influences and Chinese folk practices. Mosuo rituals center on family lineage, seasonal cycles, and the veneration of ancestors, though many Mosuo today also participate in the broader religious landscape of China.

Economically, the Mosuo historically relied on agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishing around Lugu Lake. In recent decades, tourism has become a major economic activity, with visitors drawn to the lake, Mosuo culture, and the historic villages; tourism has brought economic opportunities but also pressures to adapt traditional practices and dress.

The Mosuo maintain a distinctive culture within China's ethnic mosaic, and ongoing social and economic changes continue to influence traditional life around Lugu Lake.