Located in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nujiang Gorge is a mysterious area rich in ethnic culture. 

At the foot of the steep Jianshan and Tuanshan mountains, this 316-kilometre-long river suddenly changes its course and flows as waterfalls over the cliffs.

It is in this region that the Lisu minority celebrate their various festivals. The Kuoshi Festival is one of them.

The festival starts on the fifth day of the 12th month of the lunar year and lasts until the 10th day of the first month of the lunar new year. The Lisu people also consider it their new year festival.

On festival days, the Lisu people bring their families to the river region to enjoy themselves. Setting up their yurts close to the river bank or in nearby fields, they dress in their holiday best, coming together on sandy beaches. An important song competition is also held as part of the festival.

The sunshine penetrates the gorge and it is quiet everywhere. Following a man with heavy eyebrows, I came to the place for the song competition.

Usually, the Lisus name themselves after the animals or plants which are the symbols of their clan. The man I followed was surnamed Hudao (Tiger knife) and he was always very cheerful.

Treasured songs

Before the song competition, women busied themselves making up for the men. Hudao's turban was untied by two women, then they helped him to retie this long turban and fasten a leather strip to it, dotted with more than 100 shell coins.

Drom the 9th to the 17th century, these shell coins were widely circulated in the mountain areas of Yunnan Province. Even today, people still have a special feeling for the beautiful coins, using them to decorate their clothing.

When I found that only a very few young people had come to attend the song competition, I asked Hudao whether young people were reluctant to learn the old folk songs. "No. The folk song is a very important part of Lisu people's life." he said definitely.

The folk songs of the Lisu people were very hard to learn because of their diversified rhythms. Besides, their lyrics reflected the diversified life of Lisu people, including their daily life, religion, love and sacrificial activities. Only people who went through much hardship and practised hard at their singing would ever be good singers. Therefore, most participants were getting on in years.

The song competition in the Kuoshi Festival usually lasts for several days, but in earlier times it was 12 days, indicating the 12 months of the year.

The leading singer of Hudao's team was a middle-aged woman. She sang in a deep voice which combined with the pleasing singing of Hudao and others. Although I could not understand the song, it did touch me.

I left the competition place at noon and walked to visit their "zaotanghui" (public baths) gathering. Some women were taking baths in the hot springs, laughing and playing. Even when tourists focused their cameras on them, they did not behave in an offended manner. What a simple and happy nationality.

My journey continued to the depths of the gorge. Terraces and stockaded villages were scattered in the high mountains on both sides of the Nujiang River. However, because of logging, most of the mountain slopes looked bare and ugly.

The two banks of the river are connected by a long suspension bridge and on our way, I saw many villagers carrying baskets, crossing the river by using ropes. It looked very dangerous, but to my surprise, they were able to finish the crossing in a very short time.

At one village we passed , lots of villagers were going to the fair and young Lisu girls greeted us with sunny smiles. We asked a girl drawing water whether we could stay at her home for one night. She ran to ask her parents who invited us to their home.

Farewell in the rain

At the girl's home, we were entertained with a delicious dinner. After finding out about our arrival, many young girls and men in the village came to drink with us. Dressed in different national costumes, we danced around a bonfire.

That night, I tried to sing all the Tibetan songs that I knew and finally became too excited to fall asleep.

Next morning, it began to drizzle and the mountains around were enveloped in mist.

I took a walk in the rain to become closer to the life of the locals. The old people sat against their fences wearing handwarmers and women weaved their traditional costumes under the porches.

Before we left this picturesque place, we took a photo of the kind family we had lodged with. They helped us fill our jugs with water and put on our raincoats.

Holding their hands, we were reluctant to part. When we walked down the valley, I turned my head to find they were still waving goodbye to us in the rain.

(Shanghai Star March 23, 2004)