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The Kingdom of Women: Life, Love and Death in China’s Hidden Mountains
In a mist-shrouded valley on China's invisible border with Tibet is a place known as the "Kingdom of Women," where a small tribe called the Mosuo lives in a cluster of villages that have changed little in centuries. This is one of the last matrilineal societies on earth, where power lies in the hands of women. All decisions and rights related to money, property, land and the children born to them rest with the Mosuo women, who live completely independently of husbands, fathers and brothers, with the grandmother as the head of each family. A unique practice is also enshrined in Mosuo tradition-that of "walking marriage," where women choose their own lovers from men within the tribe but are beholden to none. Choo Waihong, a corporate lawyer who yearned for escape and ended up living with the Mosuo for seven years-the only non-Mosuo to have ever done so. She tells the remarkable story of her time in the remote mountains of China and gives a vibrant, compelling glimpse into a way of life that teeters on the knife-edge of extinction.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published May 30, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 11, 2017
Leaving her high powered, highly stressful job as an international lawyer in Singapore, the author travels to place she had heard about. The Moseo people, one of the only cultures left that celebrate women, follow a matrilineal line. She travels to the mountains in China to the Kingdom of Women. Here she will eventually live for a time, immersing herself totally into their beliefs and their culture.
I liked how the chapters were divided by their beliefs, how they lived, their food, their traditions and celebrations, their dress and their living arrangements. A great deal of interesting information is imparted as well as glimpses into the authors own journey. These women are in charge of all the things that in other cultures, including the typical Chinese households, men are usually in charge. Money, buying power, the birth of girls are celebrated and their pillar is the larger one. They love to laugh, celebrate, have a culture where everyone shares with everyone else, and it seems to work.
My only complaint is that the way this is told seemed flat, not scholarly, the writing is easy to understand, just a matter of fact delivery. I still enjoyed reading about this unique place, a place and culture I would never have know about. Such is the power of books.
I liked how the chapters were divided by their beliefs, how they lived, their food, their traditions and celebrations, their dress and their living arrangements. A great deal of interesting information is imparted as well as glimpses into the authors own journey. These women are in charge of all the things that in other cultures, including the typical Chinese households, men are usually in charge. Money, buying power, the birth of girls are celebrated and their pillar is the larger one. They love to laugh, celebrate, have a culture where everyone shares with everyone else, and it seems to work.
My only complaint is that the way this is told seemed flat, not scholarly, the writing is easy to understand, just a matter of fact delivery. I still enjoyed reading about this unique place, a place and culture I would never have know about. Such is the power of books.
March 11, 2018
This book could have been whittled down to three chapters looking at the culture of the Mosuo tribe. I found it to be a repetitive, over-explained, often contradictory read, and somewhat self-involved, causing my significant disengagement. I also struggled with Choo's view of feminism as seeming to be one skewed to the benefit of women, instead of the benefit of all.
The more Choo tried to show (and praise) the women of this tribe for their differences from those of the 'outside' world, the more I felt those differences unsubstantiated (women and humour, women and confidence with men, women and motherhood) and possibly more reflective of Choo's Chinese cultural and personal experiences.
There were so many aspects of this culture that seem initially impressive, but essentially many of these are not issues of women's empowerment, but a lack of men's equality. I felt there were many underlying negative issues that were barely mentioned, ie the repercussion of STDs, inadvertent incest, and thus disabilities from 'walking marriages', and I can't fathom that there are not degrees of loneliness, despair, and meaninglessness attached these transient relationships. My thoughts on this appear to be supported by the seeming increase in longterm relationships as tribe members age, and the relish with which younger members are marrying today. I found it incredibly sad that 'no heed is paid to fatherhood', both for father and child, and that the burden of menial domestic duties still fell to the women (though apparently not viewed as insignificant, household duties remain "women's work"). I came away feeling this matriarchy to be almost as problematic as patriarchy. Surely we are striving for, and want, benefit for all.
The more Choo tried to show (and praise) the women of this tribe for their differences from those of the 'outside' world, the more I felt those differences unsubstantiated (women and humour, women and confidence with men, women and motherhood) and possibly more reflective of Choo's Chinese cultural and personal experiences.
There were so many aspects of this culture that seem initially impressive, but essentially many of these are not issues of women's empowerment, but a lack of men's equality. I felt there were many underlying negative issues that were barely mentioned, ie the repercussion of STDs, inadvertent incest, and thus disabilities from 'walking marriages', and I can't fathom that there are not degrees of loneliness, despair, and meaninglessness attached these transient relationships. My thoughts on this appear to be supported by the seeming increase in longterm relationships as tribe members age, and the relish with which younger members are marrying today. I found it incredibly sad that 'no heed is paid to fatherhood', both for father and child, and that the burden of menial domestic duties still fell to the women (though apparently not viewed as insignificant, household duties remain "women's work"). I came away feeling this matriarchy to be almost as problematic as patriarchy. Surely we are striving for, and want, benefit for all.
June 17, 2017
I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
The Kingdom of Women is a non-fiction book about author Choo Wai-Hong’s life living with the Moseo people in a mountainous region of China. Originially from Singapore, Choo Wai-Hong came across the Mosuo people when she was travelling and learned about their matrilineal society - meaning the unlike the rest of China, and a majority of the world, bloodlines are tracked through the female line rather than the man’s, and the eldest woman in a household is the head of the family.
“A Mosuo girl is born free from cultural and societal restrictions to party, laugh, lead, toil and love. She has no need to fight for empowerment because she is empowered from birth. She comes from a long line of empowered mothers, grandmothers and beyond, all revered as vital members of the community, headed at the pinnacle by their Mountain Goddess. In a way, she is so used to the idea of an empowered existence that she accepts it all ‘as is’,"
This was a fantastic and easy to read tale of one woman’s encounter with a different type of people. They were very separated from China’s normal society and definitely lived within their own set of rules - such as men and women taking lovers or axia’s with a long-term axia given the term a ‘walking marriage’ or sese instead of a legally bound marriage. The men lived with the women in their family their entire lives for the most part, and did not live with their axia’s - even if they had children. The men would help with nieces and nephews in their home but one often not have a huge role in their actual children’s lives because all children belonged to the females. And while this sounds harsh, it’s actually not.
“Understanding that the wellspring of new life resides in women, this society believes in the sanctity of women as representing life and light.”
I loved Choo Wai-Hong’s account of her time spent in the village from the way she became godmother to the entire Mosuo tribe to how she was able to experience their festivals, births and deaths as well as witness how the developed world and modern-day society slowly began to creep in and change the traditional way of life even in the six years she herself spent with them.
"I could at last settle in to what would become the spiritual home for my feminine soul”
The comparisons Choo Wai-Hong was able to give to how the Mosuo customs and traditions differerd between them and Chinese society - were women are looked down upon and not treated the same as men - was really interesting from an outsiide perspective and I liked that as an Asian woman, she could really spell out the differences and wonders that were the Mosuo people.
“In this female-dominated bubble, no one thinks it strange that I am a lone female who goes about happily on my own.”
I did feel sad at the end that things were changing, and I wished that hadn’t been the last chapter as it seemed like a downer to end on. I would have also loved to have seen commentary of sexual assault and if the Mosuo way of life, and their ideas about lovemaking, made it so very little assaults happened. That is just something I wondered about, with the way the community was with each other. I also would have loved to have know about the Mosuo people treated women who might not want children as it is definitely a norm that all women have children. It seemed for the most part a happy, peaceful place and one I would love to experience.
“I feel cocooned within a cosmos that allows and encourages me as a woman to be me without asking for more.”
The Kingdom of Women is a non-fiction book about author Choo Wai-Hong’s life living with the Moseo people in a mountainous region of China. Originially from Singapore, Choo Wai-Hong came across the Mosuo people when she was travelling and learned about their matrilineal society - meaning the unlike the rest of China, and a majority of the world, bloodlines are tracked through the female line rather than the man’s, and the eldest woman in a household is the head of the family.
“A Mosuo girl is born free from cultural and societal restrictions to party, laugh, lead, toil and love. She has no need to fight for empowerment because she is empowered from birth. She comes from a long line of empowered mothers, grandmothers and beyond, all revered as vital members of the community, headed at the pinnacle by their Mountain Goddess. In a way, she is so used to the idea of an empowered existence that she accepts it all ‘as is’,"
This was a fantastic and easy to read tale of one woman’s encounter with a different type of people. They were very separated from China’s normal society and definitely lived within their own set of rules - such as men and women taking lovers or axia’s with a long-term axia given the term a ‘walking marriage’ or sese instead of a legally bound marriage. The men lived with the women in their family their entire lives for the most part, and did not live with their axia’s - even if they had children. The men would help with nieces and nephews in their home but one often not have a huge role in their actual children’s lives because all children belonged to the females. And while this sounds harsh, it’s actually not.
“Understanding that the wellspring of new life resides in women, this society believes in the sanctity of women as representing life and light.”
I loved Choo Wai-Hong’s account of her time spent in the village from the way she became godmother to the entire Mosuo tribe to how she was able to experience their festivals, births and deaths as well as witness how the developed world and modern-day society slowly began to creep in and change the traditional way of life even in the six years she herself spent with them.
"I could at last settle in to what would become the spiritual home for my feminine soul”
The comparisons Choo Wai-Hong was able to give to how the Mosuo customs and traditions differerd between them and Chinese society - were women are looked down upon and not treated the same as men - was really interesting from an outsiide perspective and I liked that as an Asian woman, she could really spell out the differences and wonders that were the Mosuo people.
“In this female-dominated bubble, no one thinks it strange that I am a lone female who goes about happily on my own.”
I did feel sad at the end that things were changing, and I wished that hadn’t been the last chapter as it seemed like a downer to end on. I would have also loved to have seen commentary of sexual assault and if the Mosuo way of life, and their ideas about lovemaking, made it so very little assaults happened. That is just something I wondered about, with the way the community was with each other. I also would have loved to have know about the Mosuo people treated women who might not want children as it is definitely a norm that all women have children. It seemed for the most part a happy, peaceful place and one I would love to experience.
“I feel cocooned within a cosmos that allows and encourages me as a woman to be me without asking for more.”
May 3, 2021
Hmmh. Aihe oli kiinnostava, mutta kirjoitustyyli oli niin taivastelevan eksotisoiva, että sitä oli vaikea sietää. Toki oli kiinnostavaa, kun kirjoittaja vertasi mosuoiden matrilineaalista elämää han-kiinalaisten patrilineaaliseen ja patriarkaattiseen elämään, jolloin länsimaisena lukijana pääsi näkemään mosuot tietynlaisen kaksoisvalotuksen läpi.
Aika lailla teksti oli kuitenkin varakkaan valtaväestön edustajan fiilistelyä alkuperäiskansan ääressä. Singaporelaisen juristin on helppo paheksua alkuperäisten elinkeinojen häviämistä ja perinteistä luopumista, kun ei itse elä kuvaamassaan kulttuurissa.
Silti äitilinjainen sukulaisuusjärjestelmä ja vierailuliittoinstituutio olivat jänniä.
Aika lailla teksti oli kuitenkin varakkaan valtaväestön edustajan fiilistelyä alkuperäiskansan ääressä. Singaporelaisen juristin on helppo paheksua alkuperäisten elinkeinojen häviämistä ja perinteistä luopumista, kun ei itse elä kuvaamassaan kulttuurissa.
Silti äitilinjainen sukulaisuusjärjestelmä ja vierailuliittoinstituutio olivat jänniä.
September 21, 2017
Choo Waihong, a corporate lawyer from Singapore, was tired of her fast-paced life. In one of her travels to the land of her ancestors, China, she decided to visit Lugo Lake in southern Yunnan because the Mosuo people there are still matrilineal.
When she arrived, she learned that the are not only matrilineal but matriarchal. Friendly people welcomed her. In visiting their houses, she saw that the grandmother has the central place in both the home and the family.
The Mosuo's primary deity is a goddess, Gemu, who lives in their mountains. Their tradition does not include marriage. When a girl reaches puberty, she is given her own room and can choose to have any male lover she wishes.
Sons stay in their mother's home. Male lovers are not part of the family, although some may stay for years if the couple wishes.
Choo Waihong was impressed with the Mosuos' social system and their friendliness. She had a home built nearby and spends much time there. She became godmother to many Mosuo children and has helped some pay for school expenses. When the annual goddess festival began to fade out after an earthquake left the people strapped, she began financially backing it so it would continue.
During the Cultural Revolution, people were forced to marry, but it seems that they have been able to revert to their traditions since then.
The book is well written. I think many women would enjoy reading about the Mosuo.
When she arrived, she learned that the are not only matrilineal but matriarchal. Friendly people welcomed her. In visiting their houses, she saw that the grandmother has the central place in both the home and the family.
The Mosuo's primary deity is a goddess, Gemu, who lives in their mountains. Their tradition does not include marriage. When a girl reaches puberty, she is given her own room and can choose to have any male lover she wishes.
Sons stay in their mother's home. Male lovers are not part of the family, although some may stay for years if the couple wishes.
Choo Waihong was impressed with the Mosuos' social system and their friendliness. She had a home built nearby and spends much time there. She became godmother to many Mosuo children and has helped some pay for school expenses. When the annual goddess festival began to fade out after an earthquake left the people strapped, she began financially backing it so it would continue.
During the Cultural Revolution, people were forced to marry, but it seems that they have been able to revert to their traditions since then.
The book is well written. I think many women would enjoy reading about the Mosuo.
April 20, 2024
Choo Waihong decide un día abandonar su frenética vida como abogada de alto nivel en Singapur y acercarse a sus raíces chinas. Se interesa en la etnia mosuo y resultan ser un matriarcado. Narra sus mitos, bailes, comidas, ceremonias y costumbres. Más tarde construye una casa tradicional que habita como vivienda de vacaciones por años. Lentamente se va integrando a su vida cotidiana, comiendo, conviviendo con ellos, siendo madrina de varios estudiantes y promotora del festival tradicional porque va en declive. Adquiere un nombre mosuo. Aprende a montar a caballo. Viste sus ropas. Comprende su configuración familiar, que es muy distinta de la de la etnia china dominante han, porque se centra en la figura de la matriarca.
A menos de una década de ser publicado, este libro describe un mundo que ya no existe. Las casas mosuo ahora tienen lavadoras, hay camino asfaltado para llegar al lago Lugu, los habitantes tienen celulares, visten a la moda y el mundo globalizado los homogeneiza, como nos lo ha hecho a todos. El matrimonio andante, corazón del sistema de vida mosuo, ha caído en desuso y la gente ahora tiene bodas caras, vistosas y patriarcales. Las comodidades también les han llevado el vicio y ahora gastan su dinero en juego y bebida, igual que los chinos de la etnia han, que se enriquecieron hace 4 décadas con la Reforma y la Apertura.
(Todo le resulta ajeno porque lo contrasta con su agitada vida en Singapur y la vida de su familia en China, pero ese modo de vida comunitario que a ella tanto le asombra es muy común en Yunnan. La vida de los pueblos indígenas de Yunnan, de hecho está muy documentada en (anuncio) La vida cotidiana de las mujeres lahu de Lancang, de la autora Ye Duo Duo, que su servidora tradujo). (En realidad tras haber traducido dicho libro me es mucho más fácil comprender todo lo que describe en este libro. Yunnan es una provincia muy bella y sus pueblos indígenas tienen una enorme vinculación con la naturaleza, a la que están integrados y respetan).
En lo personal, me costó mucho terminar el libro porque no es el primero que leo sobre el grupo étnico y porque sé muy bien lo que va a decir por ser la traductora de otro libro similar.
(Nota sobre la traducción: como la traductora no conoce la cultura china, comete errores como decir “paquetitos rojos de dinero” en lugar de “sobres rojos con dinero”. El título original del libro es el nombre que se le da al conjunto de los pueblos mosuo. La traductora cambia “reino” por “tribu” y sin duda es un grave error de traducción, que además no está justificado y aleja al lector del texto original, que por demás la autora intentó respetar porque incluyó un breve glosario al final del libro).
A menos de una década de ser publicado, este libro describe un mundo que ya no existe. Las casas mosuo ahora tienen lavadoras, hay camino asfaltado para llegar al lago Lugu, los habitantes tienen celulares, visten a la moda y el mundo globalizado los homogeneiza, como nos lo ha hecho a todos. El matrimonio andante, corazón del sistema de vida mosuo, ha caído en desuso y la gente ahora tiene bodas caras, vistosas y patriarcales. Las comodidades también les han llevado el vicio y ahora gastan su dinero en juego y bebida, igual que los chinos de la etnia han, que se enriquecieron hace 4 décadas con la Reforma y la Apertura.
(Todo le resulta ajeno porque lo contrasta con su agitada vida en Singapur y la vida de su familia en China, pero ese modo de vida comunitario que a ella tanto le asombra es muy común en Yunnan. La vida de los pueblos indígenas de Yunnan, de hecho está muy documentada en (anuncio) La vida cotidiana de las mujeres lahu de Lancang, de la autora Ye Duo Duo, que su servidora tradujo). (En realidad tras haber traducido dicho libro me es mucho más fácil comprender todo lo que describe en este libro. Yunnan es una provincia muy bella y sus pueblos indígenas tienen una enorme vinculación con la naturaleza, a la que están integrados y respetan).
En lo personal, me costó mucho terminar el libro porque no es el primero que leo sobre el grupo étnico y porque sé muy bien lo que va a decir por ser la traductora de otro libro similar.
(Nota sobre la traducción: como la traductora no conoce la cultura china, comete errores como decir “paquetitos rojos de dinero” en lugar de “sobres rojos con dinero”. El título original del libro es el nombre que se le da al conjunto de los pueblos mosuo. La traductora cambia “reino” por “tribu” y sin duda es un grave error de traducción, que además no está justificado y aleja al lector del texto original, que por demás la autora intentó respetar porque incluyó un breve glosario al final del libro).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2022
There is a lot here to be uncomfortable about - this is neither a scholarly view nor an insider one on the fascinating matrilineal Mosuo peoples. Rather, this is an empassioned account of Choo's fascination with the villagers and what she sees as a feminist alternative to patriachy. Choo discovers the Mosuo in what Australians would call a seachange (but for her is more of a MountainsChange). One day, she ditches her high-flying corporate job in Singapore to travel and buys a house (on a whim. Choo is not short a quid) in Lugu Lake, close to the Tibetan border. The narrative is irritating at times, as Choo has a pretty rose-coloured lens here, but the details about the Mosuo remain fascinating.
Traditional Mosuo households are headed by grandmothers, their children, their brothers and their daughters' children. Maternal uncles have a stronger role in a child's life than a father. At puberty, girls get a room of their own to facilitate sexual activity, which is portrayed here as consensual and stringless. The remoteness of this area means the Mosuo had little contact with globalism before the 1990s. The influence of Tibetan Buddhism is clear, alongside Mosuo-specific religious practice.
The control Mosuo women have over households comes with responsibility - they carry out the majority of work, with exceptions to anything involving death and heavy physical labour. Most interesting perhaps is the portrayal of consent and negotiation in sexual relationships. Men spend much time 'peacocking' with status among them accorded to those with (or claiming!) more sexual relationships. Property is also communally held, while individual households 'own' items, these are available for community use when wanted. WaiHong concedes she struggles with this expectation, especially with her car.
I did supplement this reading with some perusal of a couple of scholarly articles - enough to realise that the reality is less uniform than the books covers and that, for example, male parentage is noted and tracked in order to avoid incestuous couplings.
Mosuo tourism is big in China and has a decided sexual freakish edge, so this is already a society in rapid disappearance, fossilisation and commodification. I have no idea really if books like this help or hinder their survival, but the reminder that much of what we take for granted isn't so, is worth it.
Traditional Mosuo households are headed by grandmothers, their children, their brothers and their daughters' children. Maternal uncles have a stronger role in a child's life than a father. At puberty, girls get a room of their own to facilitate sexual activity, which is portrayed here as consensual and stringless. The remoteness of this area means the Mosuo had little contact with globalism before the 1990s. The influence of Tibetan Buddhism is clear, alongside Mosuo-specific religious practice.
The control Mosuo women have over households comes with responsibility - they carry out the majority of work, with exceptions to anything involving death and heavy physical labour. Most interesting perhaps is the portrayal of consent and negotiation in sexual relationships. Men spend much time 'peacocking' with status among them accorded to those with (or claiming!) more sexual relationships. Property is also communally held, while individual households 'own' items, these are available for community use when wanted. WaiHong concedes she struggles with this expectation, especially with her car.
I did supplement this reading with some perusal of a couple of scholarly articles - enough to realise that the reality is less uniform than the books covers and that, for example, male parentage is noted and tracked in order to avoid incestuous couplings.
Mosuo tourism is big in China and has a decided sexual freakish edge, so this is already a society in rapid disappearance, fossilisation and commodification. I have no idea really if books like this help or hinder their survival, but the reminder that much of what we take for granted isn't so, is worth it.
April 25, 2017
An extraordinary adventure that can help us see the world in a different way Thanks to NetGalley and I.B. Tauris for providing me with a copy of this book that I freely chose to review.
This book and its author, Choo Waihong, introduce us to a fascinating tribe, the Mosuo, from the province of Yunnan in China, in the region of the lakes, where a matrilineal society has survived in an almost untouched fashion for centuries. The author, a corporate lawyer working in a big law firm in Singapore, left her job and went searching for a different life. She toured China, first visiting the village where her father was born, and during her travels read an article about the Mosuo that aroused her curiosity and she decided to investigate personally.
The book narrates her adventures with the Mosuo, how she ended up becoming the godmother (personally, I think she became a fairy godmother, as she invested her own funds to help keep the Festival of the Mountain Goddess alive, and also sponsored a number of students, helping them carry on with their educations) of an entire village, and built a home there, where she spends 6 months a year.
The book is divided into twelve chapters (from ‘Arriving in the Kingdom of Women’ to ‘On the Knife-Edge of Extinction’) and it does not follow the author’s adventure chronologically (it is neither a memoir, nor an anthropological treatise) but rather discusses large topics, using first-hand observations of the author, her conversations with the inhabitants, and the insights the writer can offer when she compares this society to the one she had grown up and lived all her life in. She acknowledges she had always subscribed to feminist ideas, but nothing had prepared her for what she saw there, and the experience helped her redefine her feminism. She has difficulty fully understanding the social mores and the organisation and inner workings of Mosuo societies (the nuclear family is unknown there, the family relations are complex and difficult to understand for an outsider and they are becoming even more complicated when the population try to adapt them to a standard patriarchal model), she cannot get used to the concept of communal property (she likes the theory of people sharing farm work and living as a community, but not so much when her SUV is used by everybody for things not covered by her insurance when she is not there), she needs indoor toilet facilities (I couldn’t empathise more), and she is dismayed at the way modernity and tourism are encroaching on the traditional lifestyle. Of course, it is not the same to be able to come and go and feel empowered in a society so different to ours whilst still being able to access and/or return to our usual lifestyle than to be born into such circumstances without any other option.
The Kingdom of Women is a fascinating read. It gives us an idea about how other women-centric societies might have functioned and it introduces concepts completely alien but quite attractive and intriguing. I might hasten to say that although, as a woman, I could not help but smile at the thought of many of the practices and the different order of things, I am sure quite a few men would be more than happy with the lifestyle of the men of the tribe (no family ties as such, dedicated to cultivating their physical strength and good looks, invested on manly pursuits, like hunting, fishing … and not having to worry about endless courting or complex dating rules).
Choo Waihong is devoted to the tribe and their traditional way of life, and she has adopted it as much as they have adopted her (the relationships is mutually beneficial, as it becomes amply clear when we read the book). She explores and observes, but always trying to be respectful of tradition and social conventions, never being too curious or interfering unless she is invited in. Her love for the place and the people is clear, and she has little negative to say (she does mention STDs with its possible sequela of congenital defects and the issue of prostitution, which is not openly acknowledged or discussed), although when she talks about her attempts at keeping the Mountain Goddess Festival alive, it is clear hers is not the scientific model of observing without personally interfering (we are all familiar with the theory behind the observer effect but this is not what this book or the author’s experience is about ). The last chapter makes clear that things are quickly changing: most of the younger generation, who have had access to education, do not seem inclined to carry on upholding the same lifestyle. They are leaving the area to study and plan on getting married and starting a nuclear family rather than moving back to their grandmother’s house and having a walk-in marriage. Young men, that as she acknowledges do not have access to varied male role models, leave their studies to become waiters and dream of opening restaurants. Many of the older generation of Mosuo men and women are still illiterate but, they have mobile phones and take advantage of the touristic interest in the area, selling their lands and leaving the rural tradition behind. As the author notes, she was lucky to have access to the Mosuo people at a time of quick social change, but before the old way of life had disappeared completely. Others might not be so lucky.
This is a great book for people interested in alternative societal models and ethnological studies, written in a compelling way, a first person narration that brings to life the characters, the place and the narrator. It might not satisfy the requirements of somebody looking for a scientific study but it injects immediacy and vibrancy into the subject.
As a side note, I had access to an e-version of the book and therefore cannot comment on the pictures that I understand are included in the hardback copy. I would recommend obtaining that version if possible as I’m sure the pictures and the glossary would greatly enhance the reading experience.
This book and its author, Choo Waihong, introduce us to a fascinating tribe, the Mosuo, from the province of Yunnan in China, in the region of the lakes, where a matrilineal society has survived in an almost untouched fashion for centuries. The author, a corporate lawyer working in a big law firm in Singapore, left her job and went searching for a different life. She toured China, first visiting the village where her father was born, and during her travels read an article about the Mosuo that aroused her curiosity and she decided to investigate personally.
The book narrates her adventures with the Mosuo, how she ended up becoming the godmother (personally, I think she became a fairy godmother, as she invested her own funds to help keep the Festival of the Mountain Goddess alive, and also sponsored a number of students, helping them carry on with their educations) of an entire village, and built a home there, where she spends 6 months a year.
The book is divided into twelve chapters (from ‘Arriving in the Kingdom of Women’ to ‘On the Knife-Edge of Extinction’) and it does not follow the author’s adventure chronologically (it is neither a memoir, nor an anthropological treatise) but rather discusses large topics, using first-hand observations of the author, her conversations with the inhabitants, and the insights the writer can offer when she compares this society to the one she had grown up and lived all her life in. She acknowledges she had always subscribed to feminist ideas, but nothing had prepared her for what she saw there, and the experience helped her redefine her feminism. She has difficulty fully understanding the social mores and the organisation and inner workings of Mosuo societies (the nuclear family is unknown there, the family relations are complex and difficult to understand for an outsider and they are becoming even more complicated when the population try to adapt them to a standard patriarchal model), she cannot get used to the concept of communal property (she likes the theory of people sharing farm work and living as a community, but not so much when her SUV is used by everybody for things not covered by her insurance when she is not there), she needs indoor toilet facilities (I couldn’t empathise more), and she is dismayed at the way modernity and tourism are encroaching on the traditional lifestyle. Of course, it is not the same to be able to come and go and feel empowered in a society so different to ours whilst still being able to access and/or return to our usual lifestyle than to be born into such circumstances without any other option.
The Kingdom of Women is a fascinating read. It gives us an idea about how other women-centric societies might have functioned and it introduces concepts completely alien but quite attractive and intriguing. I might hasten to say that although, as a woman, I could not help but smile at the thought of many of the practices and the different order of things, I am sure quite a few men would be more than happy with the lifestyle of the men of the tribe (no family ties as such, dedicated to cultivating their physical strength and good looks, invested on manly pursuits, like hunting, fishing … and not having to worry about endless courting or complex dating rules).
Choo Waihong is devoted to the tribe and their traditional way of life, and she has adopted it as much as they have adopted her (the relationships is mutually beneficial, as it becomes amply clear when we read the book). She explores and observes, but always trying to be respectful of tradition and social conventions, never being too curious or interfering unless she is invited in. Her love for the place and the people is clear, and she has little negative to say (she does mention STDs with its possible sequela of congenital defects and the issue of prostitution, which is not openly acknowledged or discussed), although when she talks about her attempts at keeping the Mountain Goddess Festival alive, it is clear hers is not the scientific model of observing without personally interfering (we are all familiar with the theory behind the observer effect but this is not what this book or the author’s experience is about ). The last chapter makes clear that things are quickly changing: most of the younger generation, who have had access to education, do not seem inclined to carry on upholding the same lifestyle. They are leaving the area to study and plan on getting married and starting a nuclear family rather than moving back to their grandmother’s house and having a walk-in marriage. Young men, that as she acknowledges do not have access to varied male role models, leave their studies to become waiters and dream of opening restaurants. Many of the older generation of Mosuo men and women are still illiterate but, they have mobile phones and take advantage of the touristic interest in the area, selling their lands and leaving the rural tradition behind. As the author notes, she was lucky to have access to the Mosuo people at a time of quick social change, but before the old way of life had disappeared completely. Others might not be so lucky.
This is a great book for people interested in alternative societal models and ethnological studies, written in a compelling way, a first person narration that brings to life the characters, the place and the narrator. It might not satisfy the requirements of somebody looking for a scientific study but it injects immediacy and vibrancy into the subject.
As a side note, I had access to an e-version of the book and therefore cannot comment on the pictures that I understand are included in the hardback copy. I would recommend obtaining that version if possible as I’m sure the pictures and the glossary would greatly enhance the reading experience.
August 3, 2019
When I first learned of this book, and more significantly the Mosuo tribe from which Kingdom of Women is based, my curiosity was piqued. As a feminist I was excited to read about a matriarchal and matrilineal society that exists to this day.
Tucked into a mountainous and secluded area of China, this ancient tribe has created an egalitarian culture where women are considered the heads of their families and those same families share a home often with 3 generations. There is no marriage and children are wholly the mother’s and of her bloodline. It’s more complex than a brief Goodreads can adequately describe and so I encourage you to read Kingdom of Women before jumping to conclusions. A big take-away for me was that while it’s a matrilineal society, men are not considered ‘lesser’ but instead equal in that they’re valued for their differences. So different from patrilineal China where women are considered subservient to men.
This was a fairly quick read and an interesting sociological study.
Tucked into a mountainous and secluded area of China, this ancient tribe has created an egalitarian culture where women are considered the heads of their families and those same families share a home often with 3 generations. There is no marriage and children are wholly the mother’s and of her bloodline. It’s more complex than a brief Goodreads can adequately describe and so I encourage you to read Kingdom of Women before jumping to conclusions. A big take-away for me was that while it’s a matrilineal society, men are not considered ‘lesser’ but instead equal in that they’re valued for their differences. So different from patrilineal China where women are considered subservient to men.
This was a fairly quick read and an interesting sociological study.
Read
December 2, 2024Ojalá este libro estuviera tan bien escrito como lo interesante que es. Me parece que el punto de vista de la autora es curioso pero solo hasta cierto punto, este libro se salva porque los mosuo tienen una cultura y una forma de vivir súper interesante.
A veces es repetitivo y a veces las frases parecen estar un poco raras escritas. Aún así, merece la pena por todo lo que cuenta y todo lo que aprendes.
Me deja con más ganas de conocer más historias de los mosuo.
A veces es repetitivo y a veces las frases parecen estar un poco raras escritas. Aún así, merece la pena por todo lo que cuenta y todo lo que aprendes.
Me deja con más ganas de conocer más historias de los mosuo.
August 22, 2018
This book details one of the last matrilineal and matriarchal societies in the world!! I liked it but English is the author’s second language and it felt a little stiff. But the subject matter was wonderful.
July 29, 2021
Nunca había leído un libro de este estilo y he de decir que me ha atrapado desde el primer capítulo. La autora tiene la capacidad de describir mágicamente la experiencia y transportarte a las tierras lejanas de los mosuo. Ahora tengo ganas de visitar ese lugar.
December 4, 2023
Fascinating!
January 6, 2024
Bittersweet feeling. This book was not what I was expecting, and I am a bit disappointed. I was expecting an emotional description of the Mosuo society from a neutral standpoint. Not the proud tale of an outsider who is advocating the beauty of another people's lives! However, there are good reflections, which I enjoyed reading.
In a period of discussions on the implications of the dreaded "cultural appropriation", here I fall on a book in which a rich Singaporean traveler pops up in a new society at page 1, is offered to be built a home at page 19, and is proudly "becoming native" at page 35. All of this, in my personal opinion, while using much more the "I" than the "they", and showing little empathy or observation for the Mosuo community, whom she is quickly calling "family" and "home".
This was disturbing to me, and maybe would be for a local too, I don't know. Maybe it took longer than 35 pages to become local, as maybe it took longer then a one-day horse riding to become an experienced Mosuo rider?
Some of those stories looked like a selfish exaggeration, to me. And seemed to show, despite the words, little appreciation and respect for that culture. If it's enough to be accepted by some locals as a godmother to "feel local", well, it seems that it's not so difficult, after all.
Finally, showing off economic support for children's education, or for organising the annual Mosuo festival, or for setting up fair trade of red rice, also seemed inappropriate to me. While all those initiatives are certainly good, and should be appreciated and praised, reading of them at the first person makes the effect that the writer is focusing on herself and the impact of her sole actions.
Apart from these more personal observations, (which at least show that the book did indeed stimulate feelings and reflections!), the book is rich of details of the life of the Mosuo minority group, which makes reading more pleasant.
Those observations cover the meaning of matrilinear families, the role of men in the fabric of the Mosuo society, agricultural and farming practices, and are enlightening. Others clarify the meaning of "sese love" and "walking marriage", and other details of sex within the Mosuo. Some pages are also devoted to funeral procedures and to giving birth.
I don't see the Mosuo society as inherently "feminist", despite the Author's repeated claims, but it's fascinating to read about such a unique societal organisation.
Even more interesting are the last ten pages, telling their encounter with modern Chinese society and values, and showing how quickly the Mosuo customs are evaporating in contact with tourism, easy money, consumerism and China.
A book which bring a fascinating old world to life. But it didn't capture me.
Three stars.
In a period of discussions on the implications of the dreaded "cultural appropriation", here I fall on a book in which a rich Singaporean traveler pops up in a new society at page 1, is offered to be built a home at page 19, and is proudly "becoming native" at page 35. All of this, in my personal opinion, while using much more the "I" than the "they", and showing little empathy or observation for the Mosuo community, whom she is quickly calling "family" and "home".
This was disturbing to me, and maybe would be for a local too, I don't know. Maybe it took longer than 35 pages to become local, as maybe it took longer then a one-day horse riding to become an experienced Mosuo rider?
Some of those stories looked like a selfish exaggeration, to me. And seemed to show, despite the words, little appreciation and respect for that culture. If it's enough to be accepted by some locals as a godmother to "feel local", well, it seems that it's not so difficult, after all.
Finally, showing off economic support for children's education, or for organising the annual Mosuo festival, or for setting up fair trade of red rice, also seemed inappropriate to me. While all those initiatives are certainly good, and should be appreciated and praised, reading of them at the first person makes the effect that the writer is focusing on herself and the impact of her sole actions.
Apart from these more personal observations, (which at least show that the book did indeed stimulate feelings and reflections!), the book is rich of details of the life of the Mosuo minority group, which makes reading more pleasant.
Those observations cover the meaning of matrilinear families, the role of men in the fabric of the Mosuo society, agricultural and farming practices, and are enlightening. Others clarify the meaning of "sese love" and "walking marriage", and other details of sex within the Mosuo. Some pages are also devoted to funeral procedures and to giving birth.
I don't see the Mosuo society as inherently "feminist", despite the Author's repeated claims, but it's fascinating to read about such a unique societal organisation.
Even more interesting are the last ten pages, telling their encounter with modern Chinese society and values, and showing how quickly the Mosuo customs are evaporating in contact with tourism, easy money, consumerism and China.
A book which bring a fascinating old world to life. But it didn't capture me.
Three stars.
January 29, 2021
The earthquake in 1996 was in many ways a social-physical-cultural turning point for this far away Shangri-La.
Author made interesting observations about this interior travel destination (Lugu Lake in Yunnan province ). Ms Choo became much more than a Chinese version of a Canadian "Snowbird" by supporting her godchildren in accessing education, sponsoring traditional Musuo cultural celebrations and paying for her own home to be built on the lake's shore.
Other readers questioned her cultural appropriation of being included as "family" etc. I did not ever think Choo was a Musuo but felt her need to be in touch with the power of the women in this rare place on earth. Did she stretch it? Maybe, but good on her for going, building,giving, writing about her adventuresome escape from the corporate world view. I enjoyed reading about this unique matrilineal society.
Author made interesting observations about this interior travel destination (Lugu Lake in Yunnan province ). Ms Choo became much more than a Chinese version of a Canadian "Snowbird" by supporting her godchildren in accessing education, sponsoring traditional Musuo cultural celebrations and paying for her own home to be built on the lake's shore.
Other readers questioned her cultural appropriation of being included as "family" etc. I did not ever think Choo was a Musuo but felt her need to be in touch with the power of the women in this rare place on earth. Did she stretch it? Maybe, but good on her for going, building,giving, writing about her adventuresome escape from the corporate world view. I enjoyed reading about this unique matrilineal society.
June 22, 2017
Kindle edition from Net Gallery read.
Review here: http://melisendeslibrary.blogspot.com...
Review here: http://melisendeslibrary.blogspot.com...
January 14, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this interesting culture, but there were some deeply cringey sections where it felt like the author was flaunting her wealth and generosity.
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May 28, 2017From Netgalley for a Review:
This is one of those times that I kinda hate giving a numerical review to what I am reading because I truly did not like this book. What I thought I was getting was an anthropological study of an indigenous culture in Yunnan, what I got was a rich woman's story of self-discovery with the Mosuo people as a backdrop. I loath with a passion autobiographies, even more so ones where it is about a rich person 'going native' while still talking about how they have so much money and brag about sacrifices they have to make while living in this chosen environment. I just find them so unpleasant to read and avoid them like the plague.
I will say this in favor, Choo Wai Hong does not seem disrespectful of the people she has chosen to become a part of, so it lacks an exploitative nature that books of this style tend to have. She also has used her money to do a lot for the people and I respect that! Also, the book was well written, so at least it was just the tone that made me dislike the book.
I really wish the book would have come with references or recommended reading about the Mosuo tribe, some of the information given is immensely fascinating and I would love to learn more, but for all I know, it is entirely fabricated since there is no way of fact checking references used (another reason I strongly dislike autobiographical stories which heavily wind through cultures, you have to rely on the story teller's honesty)
If you like autobiographies then maybe this book could be more enjoyable, but to me reading it was a hassle.
This is one of those times that I kinda hate giving a numerical review to what I am reading because I truly did not like this book. What I thought I was getting was an anthropological study of an indigenous culture in Yunnan, what I got was a rich woman's story of self-discovery with the Mosuo people as a backdrop. I loath with a passion autobiographies, even more so ones where it is about a rich person 'going native' while still talking about how they have so much money and brag about sacrifices they have to make while living in this chosen environment. I just find them so unpleasant to read and avoid them like the plague.
I will say this in favor, Choo Wai Hong does not seem disrespectful of the people she has chosen to become a part of, so it lacks an exploitative nature that books of this style tend to have. She also has used her money to do a lot for the people and I respect that! Also, the book was well written, so at least it was just the tone that made me dislike the book.
I really wish the book would have come with references or recommended reading about the Mosuo tribe, some of the information given is immensely fascinating and I would love to learn more, but for all I know, it is entirely fabricated since there is no way of fact checking references used (another reason I strongly dislike autobiographical stories which heavily wind through cultures, you have to rely on the story teller's honesty)
If you like autobiographies then maybe this book could be more enjoyable, but to me reading it was a hassle.
February 26, 2024
2,5*
Un ensayo sobre una sociedad fascinante, casi me atrevo a decir que única, que rompe nuestras fronteras mentales y nos enfrenta a toda una cosmovisión social y filosófica alternativa.
Por desgracia, todo ello viene presentado en un libro lleno de defectos, algunos formales (aunque eso es más perdonable teniendo en cuanta que no es escritora profesional) y otros de fondo. Choo WaiHong está enamorada del pueblo mosuo y su forma de vida, y eso la lleva a realizar un análisis edulcorado y poco científico de esa cultura, añadiendo, además, un considerable “cacao” conceptual que la lleva a errar en muchos de sus planteamientos. El más grave: considerar a la cultura mosuo como feminista. Spoiler: no lo es.
Basta buscar unos pocos artículos o ver algún documental que de voz directa a los y, sobre todo, las mosuo para darse cuenta de que Choo WaiHong no hace un buen análisis de su realidad. No pongo en duda que sea su propia experiencia y su subjetiva percepción del asunto, pero creo que hay mejores opciones de cara a acercarse a este pueblo matriarcal.
En conclusión, un libro entretenido y que se lee rápido, pero lleno de errores conceptuales y metodológicos, y con un punto de vista irracionalmente sesgado. Sólo lo recomendaría para quienes busquen exactamente el punto de vista de la autora, despreocupándose de la realidad más compleja.
Un ensayo sobre una sociedad fascinante, casi me atrevo a decir que única, que rompe nuestras fronteras mentales y nos enfrenta a toda una cosmovisión social y filosófica alternativa.
Por desgracia, todo ello viene presentado en un libro lleno de defectos, algunos formales (aunque eso es más perdonable teniendo en cuanta que no es escritora profesional) y otros de fondo. Choo WaiHong está enamorada del pueblo mosuo y su forma de vida, y eso la lleva a realizar un análisis edulcorado y poco científico de esa cultura, añadiendo, además, un considerable “cacao” conceptual que la lleva a errar en muchos de sus planteamientos. El más grave: considerar a la cultura mosuo como feminista. Spoiler: no lo es.
Basta buscar unos pocos artículos o ver algún documental que de voz directa a los y, sobre todo, las mosuo para darse cuenta de que Choo WaiHong no hace un buen análisis de su realidad. No pongo en duda que sea su propia experiencia y su subjetiva percepción del asunto, pero creo que hay mejores opciones de cara a acercarse a este pueblo matriarcal.
En conclusión, un libro entretenido y que se lee rápido, pero lleno de errores conceptuales y metodológicos, y con un punto de vista irracionalmente sesgado. Sólo lo recomendaría para quienes busquen exactamente el punto de vista de la autora, despreocupándose de la realidad más compleja.
April 19, 2023
Este es un libro de no ficción en el que la autora relata cómo llegó a conocer a los mosuo del lago Lugu de China. Esta es una sociedad particular que, por su ubicación geográfica, se ha mantenido relativamente aislada del resto de China por mucho tiempo, lo que ha permitido que mentanga su modo de vida y tradiciones culturales hasta hace poco tiempo. Así, la autora describe la cultura de los mosuo, enfocada especialmente en la división sexual del trabajo y los roles de género.
Lo que me gustó: El libro es interesante, no conocía nada sobre los mosuo. Se describen muchos aspectos sobre esa sociedad, además que al final del libro hay fotos que ayudan a tener una idea más clara. Se logran explicar cuestiones complejas relacionadas con la composición familiar, las relaciones interpersonales y la maternidad.
Lo que no me gustó: Como la autora describe sus experiencias y explica lo que ella aprendió empíricamente, me quedan dudas sobre qué tan cierta es la información o si son impresiones suyas. Además, creo que la autora confunde matriarcal con matrilineal y matrilocal, así que muchas de sus conclusiones sobre los mosuo me parecen un poco exageradas y termina cayendo en esencialismos. También, es un poco incómodo que a momentos se sitúa en su narración cómo "salvadora" de ciertas tradiciones. Por último, en el afán de mostrar la lógica interna de esta sociedad, la autora termina idealizando todo, lo que nuevamente me hace sospechar de la calidad de la información.
Lo que me gustó: El libro es interesante, no conocía nada sobre los mosuo. Se describen muchos aspectos sobre esa sociedad, además que al final del libro hay fotos que ayudan a tener una idea más clara. Se logran explicar cuestiones complejas relacionadas con la composición familiar, las relaciones interpersonales y la maternidad.
Lo que no me gustó: Como la autora describe sus experiencias y explica lo que ella aprendió empíricamente, me quedan dudas sobre qué tan cierta es la información o si son impresiones suyas. Además, creo que la autora confunde matriarcal con matrilineal y matrilocal, así que muchas de sus conclusiones sobre los mosuo me parecen un poco exageradas y termina cayendo en esencialismos. También, es un poco incómodo que a momentos se sitúa en su narración cómo "salvadora" de ciertas tradiciones. Por último, en el afán de mostrar la lógica interna de esta sociedad, la autora termina idealizando todo, lo que nuevamente me hace sospechar de la calidad de la información.
February 26, 2024
Relato de no ficción sobre una tribu increíblemente interesante que habitan el suroeste de China.
Me enganchó por la información que ofrece y las pinceladas de la vida cotidiana de una experiencia social tan diferente no ya a la occidental, sino incluso a otros sistemas asiáticos.
Lo que me pareció que desacreditaba en gran parte el libro es, por un lado, la ausencia de formación de la autora, que peca de una mezcla de egocéntrica, improvisada y falsa antropóloga para describir cosas que, en última instancia, son solamente una percepción personal y en muchos casos una idealización de lo que ella desearía estar viendo. Al no haberse formado en antropología (no digo ya de manera oficial, sino al menos a través de una bibliografía amplia), cae en muchas confusiones y cuestiones poco claras, hasta contradictorias en algunas ocasiones. Por otro lado, la narración es excesivamente simple y repetitiva. Sí, los dos o tres conceptos claves quedan clarísimos, pero solo a fuerza de reiterar una y otra vez lo mismo que provoca hartazgo en la lectura y mucha superficialidad en lo comunicado.
En resumen: el tema, de diez. La ejecución, no tanto.
Me enganchó por la información que ofrece y las pinceladas de la vida cotidiana de una experiencia social tan diferente no ya a la occidental, sino incluso a otros sistemas asiáticos.
Lo que me pareció que desacreditaba en gran parte el libro es, por un lado, la ausencia de formación de la autora, que peca de una mezcla de egocéntrica, improvisada y falsa antropóloga para describir cosas que, en última instancia, son solamente una percepción personal y en muchos casos una idealización de lo que ella desearía estar viendo. Al no haberse formado en antropología (no digo ya de manera oficial, sino al menos a través de una bibliografía amplia), cae en muchas confusiones y cuestiones poco claras, hasta contradictorias en algunas ocasiones. Por otro lado, la narración es excesivamente simple y repetitiva. Sí, los dos o tres conceptos claves quedan clarísimos, pero solo a fuerza de reiterar una y otra vez lo mismo que provoca hartazgo en la lectura y mucha superficialidad en lo comunicado.
En resumen: el tema, de diez. La ejecución, no tanto.
May 7, 2024
An interesting read but is in need of some serious re-editing. Many times the author would talk at length about a concept only properly introduce the concept in later chapter eg building a house and the concept of grandmother's room, the lack of marriage and the concept of walking marriage etc. I also strongly disagree with the author's view of patriarchy. The patriachy concept she explained where women belongs first to her father, then husband, then son and expected to be subservient was practised hundreds of years ago in China, not in the current modern society we live in. Yes sons may be valued above daughters in rural China perhaps but that's the exception rather than the norm among Chinese now. I also find it hard to believe that her friend's family in Singapore (a modern city no less) actually has the man eat first and women eat the leftovers. Even going back to my grandmother's time, man and women eat at the same time on the same table. My ancestors migrated from China and sons and daughters are valued equally. So I really find the author's view on patriarchy to be skewed and extreme.
November 29, 2017
This was absolutely fascinating. The structure of the Mosuo society made so much more sense than ours does. The stable influences for a child would be aunts and uncles (and great aunts and uncles) within the family, and of course the mother and grandmother. Young women would have complete privacy to take what lovers they wanted to, as their room would be built as far away from their mother as possible, and any changes in lovers would be completely accepted within the society. Everybody would have safety and security, and children would grow up without the trauma of warring parents. Nobody would have to worry about getting trapped in a relationship, and losing their independence. Women wouldn't end up on the streets because they hadn't got anywhere to live. (Men would continue to live in their mother's home, and just spend the nights with their lovers.) We would all be freer and happier.
Why don't we have a quiet revolution here, and just start making ourselves matriarchal communities like these?
Why don't we have a quiet revolution here, and just start making ourselves matriarchal communities like these?
December 9, 2025
I would have restructured/edited the book slightly differently as it felt a bit uneven and there was some amount of overlap between chapters; otherwise the book provided interesting research insight into a group that as a young backpacker in the late 80s I visited but did not have the full understanding of at the time.
Also perhaps more nuance was merited because, was this life really that idyllic before the Han Chinese opened it up to the modern world? I’m not entirely convinced that things were that perfect before tourism made its inevitable march across the region.
Still, this is a great read for those interested in this unique (to China if not to the world) matrilineal group.
Congrats to the author for her courage. Ms Choo’s drastic change in lifestyle was something I personally did not dive into to the same extent, so it was great to read her perspective.
So sorry to hear of her passing a couple of years ago now… I am sure she was well loved by her many Mosuo goddaughters and their families!
Also perhaps more nuance was merited because, was this life really that idyllic before the Han Chinese opened it up to the modern world? I’m not entirely convinced that things were that perfect before tourism made its inevitable march across the region.
Still, this is a great read for those interested in this unique (to China if not to the world) matrilineal group.
Congrats to the author for her courage. Ms Choo’s drastic change in lifestyle was something I personally did not dive into to the same extent, so it was great to read her perspective.
So sorry to hear of her passing a couple of years ago now… I am sure she was well loved by her many Mosuo goddaughters and their families!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2020
Os traigo un libro bastante interesante, sobre todo si os interesa la cultura china.
Su autora nos descubre un lugar un valle entre montañas chinas en el que las mujeres son propietarias de las tierras, cabeza de familia y transmiten lazos de parentesco. No existe el matrimonio, cada mujer tiene libertad para tener los amantes que quiera, los hijos son suyos, el nacimiento de una niña significa la continuación de su linaje, se reza a una diosa. Son los mosuo y es la Tribu de las mujeres.
Una de las últimas sociedades matriarcales y matrilineales existentes.
Nos cuenta su día a día, leyendas, mitos, anécdotas, como se construyen las casas, como hay una habitación donde se nace y se muere, cómo son las mujeres las que crían a los hijos, las relaciones entre mujeres, lo sritos de iniciación... Un estudio antropológico de esta sociedad matriarcal que está dejando de existir por la globalizacion.
Su autora nos descubre un lugar un valle entre montañas chinas en el que las mujeres son propietarias de las tierras, cabeza de familia y transmiten lazos de parentesco. No existe el matrimonio, cada mujer tiene libertad para tener los amantes que quiera, los hijos son suyos, el nacimiento de una niña significa la continuación de su linaje, se reza a una diosa. Son los mosuo y es la Tribu de las mujeres.
Una de las últimas sociedades matriarcales y matrilineales existentes.
Nos cuenta su día a día, leyendas, mitos, anécdotas, como se construyen las casas, como hay una habitación donde se nace y se muere, cómo son las mujeres las que crían a los hijos, las relaciones entre mujeres, lo sritos de iniciación... Un estudio antropológico de esta sociedad matriarcal que está dejando de existir por la globalizacion.
August 13, 2019
I'm so glad to come across this excellent read. A most interesting educational read that kept me fairly glued to completion, I did find it hard to put down. For me, there were so many truths to this communities beliefs, it seems evident we've cast off the importance of the mother figure, the one who delivers the emergence to life.
I especially liked the color photos. The concise manner of writing made this easy and enjoyable. I was very curious as to when the author would address my inner thoughts on marriage to a close relation - yes, she explained this. Just out of my curiosity, 59 yuan equals about $8.37 US at writing date.
I especially liked the color photos. The concise manner of writing made this easy and enjoyable. I was very curious as to when the author would address my inner thoughts on marriage to a close relation - yes, she explained this. Just out of my curiosity, 59 yuan equals about $8.37 US at writing date.
August 15, 2021
Five things about The Kingdom of Women by Choo Waihong 3/5⭐️s
1. Choo was a corporate lawyer before falling in love with this matriarchal, matrilineal “kingdom” of women in Eastern Himalayas.
2. The information in this book was absolutely fascinating.
3. The writing was a little bit like a high school senior research project.
4. The photographs were an amazing addition, helping the reader visualize where the writing struggled.
5. I’m really glad to have read this account t of the Musuo Tribe - their customs, kindnesses, and community. I do recommend this book. Just know, the writing style might take away from the co tent fir some readers.
1. Choo was a corporate lawyer before falling in love with this matriarchal, matrilineal “kingdom” of women in Eastern Himalayas.
2. The information in this book was absolutely fascinating.
3. The writing was a little bit like a high school senior research project.
4. The photographs were an amazing addition, helping the reader visualize where the writing struggled.
5. I’m really glad to have read this account t of the Musuo Tribe - their customs, kindnesses, and community. I do recommend this book. Just know, the writing style might take away from the co tent fir some readers.
January 7, 2022
The Mosuo people and their traditions and culture make for a fascinating read. They are a matrilineal and matriarchal society in rural China. The author, a single, childfree feminist of Chinese heritage, was fortunate enough to encounter and integrate into their community in some ways reminding me of my Peace Corps service. However, the book is not very well-written and I think occasionally the author demonstrates a lack of self-awareness. I would recommend just to get a glimpse into a world that is not well-known but it wasn't an amazing reading experience. You may be able to learn just as much from articles and documentaries.
November 10, 2022
El libro me ha resultado muy interesante por la visión de una cultura tan diferente. Lo que no me ha gustado tanto es que a la autora le parece deseable el sistema matrilineal sin que sea capaz de percibir que en los roles de género que describe también hay discriminación. Tampoco resulta creíble que no haya hombres gay. De mujeres lesbianas ni habla. El capítulo dedicado a describir que los hombres masuo son como pavos reales muy sexis me pareció inluso un poco ridículo.
Globalmente un libro que estoy contenta de haber leído.
Globalmente un libro que estoy contenta de haber leído.
April 2, 2024
Una abogada pija de origen chino, aunque criada en Singapur, tiene una epifanía y decide ir a conocer sus raíces. Se siente deslumbrada al conocer que en un lugar recóndito hay una comunidad mosuo, matrilineal, en la que las mujeres son la cabeza de la familia. Le encanta el sitio, se hace un casoplón por cuatro perras. Los mosuo son muy acogedores, además ella tiene pasta y empieza a amadrinar gente. Nos cuenta todo esto con cierta condescendencia. Suelta algunas perlas de no dar crédito. Amiga date cuenta, que vas de feminista.
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