Lugu Lake

Lugu Lake, also known as Lianghai Lake and Zuosuohai Lake, is located on the border between the Ninglang Yi ethnic autonomous prefecture of Yunnan province and the Liangshan Yi ethnic prefecture. Lugu Lake is a plateau lake with an elevation of 2,690.75 meters, and it’s the highest lake in Yunnan province. The lake has a total area of 48 square kilometers and an average depth of 45 meters. The lake’s shores are inhabited by many ethnic groups, including Tibetans, the Mosuo, Naxi and Pumi. It takes about six hours to drive from Lijiang ancient town to Lugu Lake.

The most numerous people around Lugu Lake are the Mosuo people. According to the Mosuo people, Lugu Lake is their “mother lake.” Also, the lake is well known as “The Kingdom of Women” since it’s the only surviving matrilineal community in China. A “walking marriage” (zou hun in Chinese) is one of the most famous and least understood cultural customs of the Mosuo people. In the walking marriage relationship, partners don’t live together and children are raised by their mothers. In the Mosuo family, grandmothers are in charge, and mothers are responsible for taking care of the money. Uncles are responsible for teaching kids the skills of living and working.

By Ge Jieru and edited by Michael Thai