Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake is located between Ninglang County, Yunnan province and Yanyuan County, Sichuan province. It covers an area of 52 square kilometers. The average depth of the lake is 45 meters and the deepest point is 93 meters. The water is so clear, that with the greatest visibility, you can see under water to about 12 meters. The lake water flows eastwards to the Yalong River and finally into the surging Jingshajiang River (the Golden Sand River). Lugu Lake is long and narrow, just like a gourd filled with limpid water. Lugu means "falling into the water". On the lakeside lives a special minority group known as the Mosuo, a rare group who still carry on a unique Axia marriage system called visiting marriage. Adult men can visit adult women's house at night. The lovers call each other "Axia" which means "dear lover". The Mosuo people worship female gods and women are the heads of their families. Because of the unique matriarchy, well-preserved by the Mosuo people, the Mosuo society is called "Girls' Kingdom". It is a living fossil of matrilineal society. Thanks to the mountains, Lugu Lake had remained hidden away in a peaceful world until the 1970's, when it was connected with Ninglang County by roads. Without the pollution of modern industry the water of the lake is so clear that at some points you can see to the bottom.
Legend
There is an interesting story behind the lake. Long long ago, when Lugu was a valley, there was an orphan who made a living by herding cattle for other people in the Lion Mountain. One day he was so tired that he fell asleep under a tree. He saw a big fish in his dream. The fish said, "poor boy if you feel hungry, you can cut off my meat for lunch." When the boy woke up, he found a big fish in a cave as expected. He cut the meat of the fish and toasted it for lunch. The second day he found the cut recovered by itself. Before long, a greedy man in the village found out about the fish and decided he should have it. He gathered several men to pull the big fish out of the cave using nine horses and nine cattle. Suddenly, a rush of water from the cave flooded them and the whole village. One woman who saw the flood coming kicked the pigs away from the feeding trough and placed her boy and girl inside. The flood swept her away, but the trough floated and their race was saved. To commemorate the heroic mother, people now still use the same boats called "pig trough boats" made of a whole log. Lugu Lake is called "Mama Lake" by the local people.
