The Scope and Limits of "Walking Marriage" among the Zhaba and Mosuo Peoples of Southwest China: With a Discussion of Its Impact on the Persistence of Matrilineal Family Forms
This article examines the Zhaba people of Daofu and Yajiang counties (Sichuan) and the Mosuo people around Lugu Lake, both known as "walking marriage" (zouhun) communities in southwest China. While prior scholarship attributes the persistence of matrilineal marriage-family forms mainly to external factors—geography, transportation, chieftain (tusi) institutions, ethnic origins, and psychological traits—the author argues these largely overlook internal mechanisms. Through comparative analysis of the Zhaba's ethnic origins (linked to ancient Qiang peoples), distribution, and environment alongside the Mosuo, the article contends that a crucial, often-neglected reason for the long-term continuity of "walking marriage" is the unwritten but customary rules defining its scope and boundaries, most importantly the strict prohibition of consanguineous marriage. The author argues that in protecting Zhaba and Mosuo traditional culture, these customary regulatory norms deserve appropriate recognition and preservation, as they constitute an internal safeguard sustaining matrilineal family structures across generations.
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