Costoms of Sani People

The Sani is a branch of the Yis, which has a population of over 90,000. It mainly spread over the Stone Forest scenic spot in Shilin (the primary Lunan Yi Autonomous County) in Yunnan province. Its language belongs to the southeastern dialect. Sani people's clothes have a unique style. Men usually wrap head with black cloth, wear jacket with cloth buttons down the front, cover a sleeveless flax garment with buttons down the front, and wear black trousers.

Best Men Accompanying the Groom with Umbrellas to Meet the Bride

Two best men accompanying the groom with umbrellas to meet the bride is one of the many special and interesting customs that have been preserved till now in marriage ceremonies of the Achang ethnic group.

Talking about love through "visiting girls"

Most of the Was establish their marriage through free courtship. They usually get married at about 20, and the husband is usually older than the wife. But young fellows and girls can begin to take part in social intercourse and entertaining activities for talking about love since 15 or 16. This kind of courtship activity is commonly called "visiting girls"

Talking about love through "visiting girls"

Most of the Was establish their marriage through free courtship. They usually get married at about 20, and the husband is usually older than the wife. But young fellows and girls can begin to take part in social intercourse and entertaining activities for talking about love since 15 or 16. This kind of courtship activity is commonly called "visiting girls"

A Music Instrument of Love - Gourd-shaped Flute

The musical instruments of Achangs mainly include gourd-shaped flute (a wind instrument), March flute (also a wind instrument), copper-rimmed stringed instrument, sanxian (a three-stringed instrument), Xiangjiao drum (a drum in the shape of elephant foot), mang luo (gong) and so on.

Cremation of the Mosuo People

Mosuo people believe that only the people who did good on earth can go to the heaven after death.Once a member of a group dies, the corpse is first cleansed by a member of the family and a Lama priest.

Matriarchal Marriage Patterns of the Mosuo People

Any culture will continue to exist as long as it has vitality. A culture develops through mutual exchange with its social environment. But it will not lose itself, if cultural exchange is based on equality for both sides without the attitude to wipe out the opposite side. The Mosuo culture is now confronted with a new onslaught and new challenges and has to find a new road into the future.

Dancing to Meet the Bride and Beating the Bridegroom

The Hanis in Mojiang call themselves "Amu". Their whole wedding ceremony is permeated with dancing from beginning to end. As the wedding draws near, both the bridegroom's side and the bride's side should build a shed with bamboo and pine out of their houses separately, as the place for sending and welcoming the bride and receiving guests.

Aini People Wedding song

The Yuvxal yiv is one of the most important songs sung during the Akha wedding ceremony. It is not sung by the newlyweds, their relatives or friends, but by the old folks of the village in a tradition that has been kept during the last 1100 years.

Aini people Traditional marriage

The Aini-Akha is the best known branch of the Hani nationality. In China, called Aini, they live in the south of Yunnan, from Xishuangbanna Prefecture to Menglian County, in an arch of soft mountains, sometimes covered with forest, where the life is really hard.

Divination Ritual of Aini Ethnic People

Zhuipa, the most acclaimed diviner in Pazhen Village, also showed great interest in our seashells.He took a close look at each seashell and then pointed at one of them, saying to Api: "This one has eyes and it can see. I'm sure it will be useful for rituals. Please look after it carefully."

The story of MaTou Qin

MaTou Qin (bowed stringed instrument with a scroll carved like s horse's head, used by the Mongol nationality) is a traditional musical instrument, richest in the Mongol flavor.

Their food, drink and daily life and the abstention of religious ceremonies

​ Hui nationality believes in Islam. Islam is a kind of strict god religion, so most of their customs and habits are closely related with that. In the aspect of food life, they take rice and flour as principal foods. The main foods include steamed bun, pancake, steamed stuffed bun, dumplings and noodles in soup, etc.

Talking about love through "visiting girls"

Unique producing customs