Oddity 14 Grannies climb mountains faster than monkeys.

Yunnanese women, especially those of the Naxi minority nationality (below right), have a reputation for being hard-working, diligent and business-minded. Even in old age they are physically fit, thinking nothing of putting in a hard day’s labour in the fields (below left) or collecting firewood and great bundles of pine needles in the mountain forests. The Oddity Children are raised by men is another reference to women taking on tasks traditionally carried out by the male population. Men often stay at home to look after the young children (in between drinking baijiu, and playing cards or mahjong with their mates!). Does this sound like a familiar scenario?!