Polyandry and Walking Marriage: A Curious Custom of the Jinsha River

Author: Song Zhaolin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Book Introduction: When people mention walking marriage, they think of Lugu Lake at the border of Sichuan and Yunnan, of matriarchal systems, of the land of women, and of course, the unique marriage customs that still exist today. Across the river from Lugu Lake lies the Eya region, where walking marriage is also practiced, but it does not follow a matriarchal system; instead, it combines both matriarchal and patriarchal systems. Women can marry men, and men can marry women, with practices like sister-sharing a husband and brother-sharing a wife being common. It has certain origins with the matriarchal system of Lugu Lake, but it also has its own distinct characteristics. This manuscript is the author's observations and experiences from traveling across the Jinsha River to investigate the Eya region, and it is a scholarly fieldwork notebook.