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Rugged Tours
Rugged Tours ----> Lugu Lake Queendom of Girls
Lugu Lake, also known as Liang Hai in Mandarin Chinese, lies on the border of the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and is surrounded by mountains. Due to this geographical location, Lugu Lake belongs to both provinces. The name Lugu means ‘within the valley’ and it comes from the language of the Mosuo people of China. The Mosuo people are the main inhabitants living around the lake, and are closely related to the Nanxi people.
Whilst Lugu Lake is famous for its breath-taking scenery, it is mainly renowned for the unique, matriarchal society of the Mosuo people. A ‘walking marriage’ culture has been maintained here, where Mosuo women choose their men and spend their whole life dating as they choose, not seeking marriage.
The Rugged Tours trip heads to Lugu Lake from Lijiang, following the mountain road, and whilst the road may be bumpy, the roadside scenery will be worth it.
Traditional bonfire dance parties are held every night in the villages around Lugu Lake. They are called Guozhuang parties in Chinese (guozhuang meaning the fire in the cooking stove), and groups of people dance together holding one another's hands, forming a circle around the bonfire. This form of dance is one of the most important social activities for the Mosuo girls in finding and picking their partners. Here is a tip: If you fancy someone, the custom is to scratch that person’s palm gently.
At the party, there will also be singing in an antiphonal style, usually between a group of girls and a group of boys. And you are more than welcome to join in, remember it is not a singing competition, it is a party, so just jump in and have fun!
The following days can be spent visiting nearby villages, meeting local Mosuo people along the way as you hike around the lake, or you can choose to ride a horse. Sailing on the lake is also a common pastime and the local's special boat is called a Zhucao boat, which means pig's trough. It is a kind of canoe specific to the Mosuo and has been an important transportation tool throughout their history.
Quite a few stories surround the name of the boat. One involves a momentous flood in which every single person living around Lugu lake drowned, apart from a boy and a girl who were put inside a pig's trough by their parents. They survived and grew up to become the ancestors of the Mosuo people. There are numerous islands around the lake which can also be ventured to and explored, where you can become a part of the beautiful scenery and feel as though you are part of a living work of art.
Don’t forget to try the famous local cured pork, and the locally brewed alcohol, called Guangdang Jiu. Guangdang refers to the noise of something heavy hitting the floor, take the hint, the drink tastes delicious, but make sure you don’t make a Guangdang yourself.
On saying goodbye to this Queendom of Girls, we return to Lijiang, where we have got something else planned for you. Lijiang is one of the oldest cities in China and the ancient and the new somehow manage to live together perfectly here. Old traditional architecture (The world famous Old Town of Lijiang is located in Lijiang City. A UNESCO Heritage Site), and a famous bar street awaits you. Pick your way around and enjoy! After a good night’s rest, we will take you along some of the Ancient Tea Route, along which tea was originally spread across China and Asia from its origin in the Pu'er county of Yunnan.
Interested? Get in touch and we’ll send you a detailed quote and itinerary, if your departure place is not in the above price list, just let us know and we will get back to you within 24 hours. (info@rugged-tours.com )
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