Mosuo: China’s last matrilineal society

Widely known as China’s last matrilineal society, the Mosuos are defined by their distinctive practice of prioritising female agency and authority.

On the shores of the picturesque Lugu Lake in southwest China you will come across an ancient society called the Mosuo society. Widely known as China’s last matrilineal society, roughly 40,000 people inhabit the shores of the Lake and lead their lives in a way hardly seen anywhere else in the world—with women at the helm of their households. At 2,700m above sea level, and with the nearest city some six hours’ drive away, the region’s remoteness has led to preserving the society’s unique customs.

Of their many cultural traditions, zouhun or walking marriages is counted as the most distinctive. After a coming-of-age ceremony, Mosuo females can choose their lovers, having as many or as few as they wish during their lifetime, in a system that prioritises female agency over conventional patriarchy. Shocking as it sounds, married couples do not live together and children are brought up in the maternal home, with uncles and brothers substituting as the fatherly figure.

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