Our answer
The people of Lugu Lake 摩梭人
A people of the Yunnan–Sichuan border who trace family through the mother’s line; officially counted within the Naxi in Yunnan
The short answer
The Mosuo (摩梭人, Mósuō rén) are a people of about 40,000 to 50,000 living around Lugu Lake on the Yunnan–Sichuan border. They are not one of China’s 56 official groups: in Yunnan they are counted as Naxi. They are known for matrilineal households, in which family and property pass through the mother’s line.
| In Chinese | 摩梭人 (Mósuō rén); they also call themselves Na |
|---|---|
| Population | About 40,000–50,000 (estimate); not counted separately in the census |
| Official classification | Part of the Naxi in Yunnan; Na speakers in Sichuan are officially classified as Mongols |
| Where they live | Around Lugu Lake and in Yongning, Labai, Muli and Yanyuan, on the Yunnan–Sichuan border |
| Language | Na (Narua), a Naish language of the Sino-Tibetan family, closely related to Naxi |
| Known for | Matrilineal households, the walking-marriage (走婚) custom, Lugu Lake |
| Main festival | Zhuanshan (转山节), the ‘mountain-circling’ gathering at Lion Mountain in late summer |
Who the Mosuo are and how they are classified
The Mosuo live in the Hengduan Mountains on the border of Yunnan and Sichuan, many of them around Lugu Lake, and in Yongning, Labai, Muli and Yanyuan. Estimates of their number range from about 40,000 to 50,000. They call themselves Na, and their language, Na or Narua, belongs to the Naish group of the Sino-Tibetan family and is closely related to Naxi.
The Mosuo are not one of the 56 officially recognised ethnic groups, so the census does not count them on their own. In Yunnan they are officially classified as part of the Naxi, while the Mosuo of Yongning are recognised separately at provincial level. Across the border, the Na speakers of Sichuan are officially classified as Mongols. Sources note that Mosuo culture differs from that of Lijiang’s Naxi: the Naxi are patrilineal and the Mosuo matrilineal, and the Yongning and Lijiang forms of speech are not mutually intelligible.[1][2][3][4]
Matrilineal households
The core of Mosuo life is the household, or awo, a house group of about twenty people. Descent and inheritance pass through the female line, and the buildings, land and livestock belong to the household as a whole. A senior woman manages the household and its property; the role of household head passes from sister to sister and then to a daughter.
A traditional Mosuo home is built as four rectangular buildings around a central courtyard. The ground floor holds the livestock and the cooking and eating areas, and the upper floor holds storage and bedrooms.
Children come of age at thirteen, marked by a skirt ceremony for girls and a trouser ceremony for boys.[1]
Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake (泸沽湖, Lúgū Hú) lies at 2,685 m, the highest lake in Yunnan, and covers about 48.5 km². Its maximum depth of 93.5 m makes it one of the deepest lakes in China. The border between Ninglang Yi Autonomous County in Yunnan and Yanyuan County in Sichuan runs through the middle of the lake. It has five islands, including Lige; the Mosuo call it the ‘mother lake’.
Above the lake rises Gemu Mountain, or Lion Mountain, 3,754 m high, which the Mosuo regard as the goddess Gemu. In one legend the lake was formed from her tears. Mosuo boat crews paddle dugout canoes known locally as ‘pig-trough boats’ (猪槽船, zhūcáo chuán) across the lake and through the reeds of Caohai (草海), a marshy area of about 10 km².[5][6]
Festivals
| Festival | Chinese | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhuanshan, the mountain-circling festival | 转山节 | 25th day of the seventh lunar month, by GoKunming’s account (7 September in 2015); Yunnan’s tourism site gives the sixth lunar month | The biggest social event of the year: people walk or ride ponies to a meeting place on the slopes of Lion Mountain to honour Gemu, then picnic on pork, chicken, small fish, ham and barley beer; in the evening young people dance in a ring around a bonfire |
| New Year | — | Lunar New Year | Families visit the household of the children’s father |
| Coming-of-age | — | At thirteen | The skirt ceremony for girls and the trouser ceremony for boys |
How to visit Lugu Lake
- 1
Fly or drive
Lugu Lake is about 200 km from Lijiang, some 6–8 hours by car. Ninglang Luguhu Airport is about 32 km, roughly 40 minutes, from the lake, with flights from Kunming.
- 2
Choose a base
Luoshui and Lige, both on the Yunnan shore, are the best-known villages to stay in, with guesthouses, restaurants and cafés.
- 3
Go out on the water
Take a pig-trough boat on the lake or through the reeds of Caohai; boats also run from Luoshui towards the Sichuan side.
- 4
Allow for the road
Roads reached the lake only in the 1980s, and bad weather can still affect the drive, so leave slack in your plans.
- 5
Be a good guest
Mosuo villages are people’s homes. Ask before photographing people or going into a courtyard, and treat family customs as private.
Questions readers ask
Who are the Mosuo people?
The Mosuo (摩梭人) are a people of about 40,000 to 50,000 who live around Lugu Lake and in nearby valleys on the border of Yunnan and Sichuan. They call themselves Na and are known for households organised through the mother’s line.
Are the Mosuo one of China’s 56 ethnic groups?
No. In Yunnan they are officially classified as part of the Naxi, though the Mosuo of Yongning are recognised separately at provincial level; in Sichuan, Na speakers are officially classified as Mongols.
Are the Mosuo a matriarchal society?
They are often described that way; Yunnan’s tourism site calls them possibly the last matriarchal society in the world. The more exact word is matrilineal: descent and inheritance pass through the female line, and a senior woman manages the household and its property.
What is a Mosuo walking marriage?
A long-term relationship in which both partners keep living in their own family homes; the man visits the woman’s household in the evening and leaves in the morning. Children are raised in the mother’s household, with her brothers closely involved.
Where is Lugu Lake?
On the border of Yunnan and Sichuan, between Ninglang Yi Autonomous County in Yunnan and Yanyuan County in Sichuan, about 200 km from Lijiang. It lies at 2,685 m.
How do I get to Lugu Lake?
Drive from Lijiang, about 6–8 hours, or fly from Kunming to Ninglang Luguhu Airport, about 40 minutes from the lake. Luoshui and Lige are the usual places to stay.
What language do the Mosuo speak?
Na, also called Narua, a Naish language of the Sino-Tibetan family that is closely related to Naxi. The Yongning and Lijiang forms of speech are not mutually intelligible.
When is the Mosuo mountain-circling festival?
Zhuanshan (转山节) falls in late summer: GoKunming gives the 25th day of the seventh lunar month, while Yunnan’s tourism site gives the sixth. People gather on Lion Mountain to honour Gemu, then picnic and dance.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Mosuo · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Nakhi people · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Naic languages · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- GoKunming, Assembly at Lion Mountain: the Mosuo honour goddess Ganmo · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Colorful Yunnan (Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism), Lugu Lake · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Lugu Lake · accessed 2 Nov 2026
Update log. 2 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 2 February 2027. Suggest a correction