Oddity 10 Young Girls Called Old Lady

A custom that has developed over the recent year with Xiaguan and Chuxiong people is the “Old Lady” custom. Unmarried girls, aged between fourteen and eighteen years, are called “Old Lady”. This is said to wish her good health by promoting intimacy and goodwill.

In some parts of Yunnan, adolescent, unmarried girls are playfully referred to as lao tai – “old lady”. The use of the term is not derogatory and in fact implies intimacy and goodwill towards the recipient.