--FILE - ein chinesisches Mädchen der Mosuo ethnische gruppe Lächeln an der Bank der Lugu See in Lijiang, im Südwesten der chinesischen Provinz Yunnan, 28. Februar 2015. Die tr
--FILE--A Chinese girl of Mosuo ethnic group smiles at the bank of Lugu Lake in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan province, 28 February 2015. The traditions of the Mosuo, a minority ethnic group are said to be the country's last matrilineal society, where children take their mothers' surnames and daughters are preferred to sons. A fascination with such traditions has led to a booming tourism industry in this once-isolated region. Lured by the promise of spectacular natural beauty and exotic cultural experiences, hundreds of thousands of visitors, mostly Chinese, are making the journey to Lugu Lake, nestled on a plateau in the mountains between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. Those numbers are expected to rise with the opening of a local airport this month and later an expressway connecting Lugu Lake to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan. In response, a number of family-run hotels have popped up along the lake's pristine blue waters. Visitors can watch residents perform traditional dances in colorful costumes and can take boat rides on the lake as young Mosuo men serenade them with love songs in Naru, the Mosuo language. All around the village are signs that read, "Welcome to the Kingdom of Daughters."
