Land of Moon, Mother and Matriarchy

The third day and climax of the festival is for "sending fire." As night falls, everyone carries a torch to a single place designated for the bonfire. Singing and dancing around the enormous blaze ensues – a spectacularly exciting and primitive scene. Such a traditional grand festival unleashes intense revelry penetrated with folklore; these simple rural pleasures begin with ritual participation and yet succeed in transforming the hearts and the spirits of all who gather.

The Liangshan International Torch Festival of this year starts on July 24 and ends on July 29. With every day packed with activities, this festival promises to be an amazing tour experience for visitors.

Schedule of the 2011 Torch Festival

1. Lighting ceremony of the Torch Festival begins at 8 p.m. on July 24, at Kaiyuan, Daqing, Sihe and Hainan townships, and again on July 25, same time, at Luogubo. Primitive Yi minority torch parade and carnival will be thrown.

2. Yi-style archery competitions in the Ethnic Folklore Garden run from July 24 to 29, beginning at 9 a.m. every day.

3. The Third Anha Folklore Tourism Festival begins at 11 a.m. on July 24 and 25 in Anha Town arena, featuring bull, goat and cock fighting contests.

4. Yi-style wrestling contest will commence in Torch Square at 9 a.m. on July 25.

5. The traditional beauty contest of the Yi minority is scheduled for the Liangshan Prefecture Gymnasium on July 26 and 27.

6. The Float Parade begins at 9 a.m. on July 28. Parade route: Torch Square -- Sanchakou -- Policebox 2 -- Wal-Mart -- Ethnic Sports Center.

7. The torch carnival, parade and firework show kicks off at 8 p.m. on July 29, with 30 bonfires in such sections as the eastern extended road of Chengnan Avenue, Torch Square and Chengnan Avenue.

The "Walking Marriages" of Lugu Lake

Mosuos have lived on the banks of Lugu Lake for generations and retain some original matriarchal social customs such as the big family system and "Axia marriage" (walking marriage) – unions without formal relationship. The cultural tradition of "worshipping mothers and respecting women," coupled with other ethnic customs, draws a mysterious and appealing veil across the ancient land, and it has become known as the "mystical oriental female kingdom."

Lugu Lake, known to the local Mosuo ethnic group as "Mother Lake," is an alpine freshwater lake in the shape of a horseshoe, 258 kilometers west of Xichang City. Lush and verdant forests and flocks of wild ducks enliven the six islands that sit at 2,685 meters above sea level. Lugu Lake is surrounded by green mountains crowned by towering trees and a host of flowers like camellias, azaleas, trumpet flowers and wild alpine flowers that splash blazes of color across the slopes. While the area is beautiful and memorable, it may be the courtship and marriage traditions surviving here that satisfy your curiosity about other cultures.

Axia is a term for the Mosuo man or woman in love, and they call each other Xiabo. When a boy has eyes for a girl, he sings below her window at night. If beckoned by the girl, he may climb up the building to meet with her. But he must leave the next morning; Axias can't live together for they essentially still belong to their own families. If the female gets pregnant and a child is born, the baby belongs to the woman, is raised by her family and takes her family name. The man usually doesn't take the responsibility of raising the children he sires, but helps to raise his sisters' children. The local people call this relationship a "walking marriage."

A walking marriage does not give the partners the right to randomly change lovers. Usually a man or woman only has one axia. Only when in severe disagreement may they break up and find another. These relationships never overlap. Especially after a baby is born, the relationship of a couple is considered stable and fixed. This marriage bond keeps Mosuo couples free from asset disputes, as they are strictly "love matches."

Mosuo homes are mostly wooden buildings made of squared logs and wooden shingles. The fireplace in the main hall is its heart, the activity center of the whole family, with a fire that burns for years, and is used for religious observance, cooking and heating. Two seats on either side of the fireplace are the places of honor in the family, reserved for the maternal grandmother and the eldest brother of the mother. The maternal grandmother commands the greatest respect and has the highest authority in a family; she is in charge of financial matters. Mosuos usually live on in their ancestral homes and these matriarchal families remain intact. New households are rare.

The primitive religion of the Mosuos is called Daba, and they also observe Tibetan Buddhism, with both belief systems influencing and penetrating each other. Whenever there is a sacrificial rite or celebration, priests of both religions are invited to lead the chanting and ceremonial practices. However, the Daba religion is a faith that depends on an oral tradition, with no scriptures, and so it is in danger of extinction.

Delicacies in the Lugu Lake area that deserve the visitor's attention are the "pipa meat" – preserved fatty pork, their most traditional and distinctive food with which the Mosuos treat their most honored guests. The pipa is a 4-stringed traditional Chinese lute. When they slaughter pigs for the winter sacrifice, the Mosuos remove all the bones, viscous and lean meat from every part of the animal except for the skull, season and salt it, then stitch it up, and press the morsels into pipa-like shapes. Pork made in this way can be preserved for eight to nine years, and tastes better over time. The volume of stored preserved fat pork also indicates the financial status of a family.

Tourist attractions of Lugu Lake have been developed for some time. You can take a bus from Xichang or Lijiang to the county seat of Ninglang County, 72 km from the lake. Most of the scenery, local residences and transportation sites are clustered around Luoshui Village. This scenic spot features hotels renovated from classic Mosuo houses. Home stays are also available.