Nu Ethnic Minority

The Nu Ethnic Minority (怒族) is one of China’s lesser-populated ethnic groups, known for its diverse linguistic heritage. They are primarily distributed in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州) in Yunnan, particularly in areas such as Lushui (泸水), Fugong (福贡), Gongshan (贡山), Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County (兰坪白族普米族自治县), and parts of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (迪庆藏族自治州), as well as Chayu County (察隅县) in the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区). The Nu people self-identify by several regional names, including “Nu Su” (怒苏) in Lushui, “A Nu” (阿怒) in Fugong, and “A Long” (阿龙) in Gongshan, and they view themselves as the ancient inhabitants of the regions along the Nu River (怒江) and Lancang River (澜沧江).

The population of the Nu ethnic group is approximately 36,575 people, according to the 2021 Chinese Statistical Yearbook (中国统计年鉴-2021).

Language

The Nu language (怒语) belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family, specifically the Tibeto-Burman branch. In addition to their native language, many Nu people are fluent in Mandarin Chinese (汉文) and Lisu language (傈僳语).

Religion

The Nu people traditionally practice their indigenous religion (固有宗教), but there are also communities that follow Buddhism (佛教), Catholicism (天主教), and Protestantism (新教).

History

The Nu people have a long history, with evidence suggesting that they were still in the late Neolithic period before the 16th century. Archaeological finds and local legends point to their use of stone, wood, and bamboo tools. As early as the 8th century, the region was under the control of the Nanzhao (南诏) and Dali (大理) kingdoms in Yunnan. After the Yuan (元) and Ming (明) dynasties, the Nu area was governed by the Lijiang Naxi (丽江纳西族) rulers.

In the 17th century, the Nu people were under the rule of the Weixi Kangpu (维西康普) and Ye Zhi (叶枝) chieftains, as well as other Tibetan (藏族) and Bai (白族) chieftains from Lanping (兰坪). Over time, they faced significant pressures, including land encroachments by the Lisu (傈僳族) people and exploitation by local chieftains, leading to societal divisions and the existence of slavery.

During the 18th century, the economy of the Nu region improved, with agriculture flourishing and industries like bamboo weaving and cloth production becoming more prominent. Following the Xinhai Revolution (辛亥革命) in 1911, the Republic of China (中华民国) established administrative posts in the Nujiang (怒江) area, but the region still faced significant economic exploitation under colonial governance.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War (1942–1944), Nu people participated in guerrilla resistance against the Japanese invasion (日本侵略), contributing to the overall victory in the Northwest Yunnan (滇西北) region.

Following the peaceful liberation of Nujiang (怒江) in 1950, the Nu people saw significant improvements in their lives, especially after the implementation of the Reform and Opening Up (改革开放) policy. Government support helped improve the economy, infrastructure, and education.

Autonomous Rights

Since the establishment of the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州) in 1954, the Nu people have enjoyed political equality and autonomy. In 1957, the area was upgraded to an Autonomous Prefecture (自治州), and in 1956, the Gongshan Dulong Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县) was established. In 1989, the Autonomous Regulations of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州自治条例) were promulgated, and in 1991, the Autonomous Regulations of Gongshan (贡山独龙族怒族自治县自治条例) were implemented, securing legal guarantees for Nu people’s political rights and autonomy.

Population

The Nu Ethnic Minority (怒族) has a population of approximately 36,575 people, according to the 2021 Chinese Statistical Yearbook (中国统计年鉴-2021). They are mainly distributed in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州) in Yunnan Province (云南省), including areas like Lushui (泸水, formerly Bi County / 碧江县), Fugong (福贡), Gongshan Dulong Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县), Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County (兰坪白族普米族自治县), and Weixi County (维西县) in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (迪庆藏族自治州). They also reside in the Chayu County (察隅县) of the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区).

In addition, the Nu people are also found in Myanmar (缅甸), particularly in the northern Kachin State (克钦邦) in the Gaoligong Mountains (高黎贡山) and the upper reaches of the Enmei River (恩梅开江), with an estimated population of over 30,000.

Economy

Pre-Republic Era

Before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the economic development of the Nu people was uneven. Those living in Lanping Tu’e Commune (兰坪菟峨公社) and scattered populations in Weixi County (维西县) had a similar standard of living to that of Han (汉), Bai (白), and Naxi (纳西) peoples, already entering feudal society. However, the Nu people in Lushui (泸水), Fugong (福贡), and Gongshan (贡山) experienced much slower development. Though private ownership had been established, and class divisions had begun, the land was still not concentrated, and remnants of the primitive communal system persisted.

Agricultural Economy

The Nu people in Nujiang (怒江) primarily engage in agriculture, with very low levels of productivity. Tools used in early times included machetes, small iron hoes (called Nu hoes / 怒锄), and small iron plows. The quality was poor, and most goods were traded with Han and Bai merchants from areas like Lanping (兰坪), Yunlong (云龙), and Weixi (维西).

Despite the limited resources, agricultural tools have improved significantly over the years, and today, more modern tools such as iron plows are commonly used. However, the type of land still limits the progress of agriculture. Crops like corn (玉米), buckwheat (荞子), barley (大麦), qinqi (青稞), potatoes (土豆), sweet potatoes (红薯), and beans (豆类) are grown.

Land use includes “volcanic land” (火山地), hoe-tilled land (锄挖地), ox-plowed land (牛犁地), and rice paddies (水田). The majority of the Nu people’s fields are non-permanent, with about 50% of the total agricultural area being volcanic and hoe-tilled land. Agricultural techniques remain primitive, with limited weeding, no fertilization, and low crop yields. Corn yields about 150 jin per mu (亩), and each person receives less than 200 jin of food annually.

Handicrafts and Commerce

Nu society has not yet developed clear divisions between agriculture, handicrafts, and commerce. Household handicrafts include weaving hemp cloth (织麻布), making bamboo (编竹器) and wooden (制木器) tools, and brewing alcohol (酿酒). Weaving hemp cloth is primarily a woman’s task, while men are more involved in bamboo weaving and the production of wooden utensils.

Most Nu people are skilled in brewing alcohol and have a strong drinking culture. Historically, items like yellow cattle (黄牛), iron pots (铁锅), and currency (货币) were used as bartering tools. Regular markets did not emerge until 1929 when places like Zhi Zi Luo (知子罗) and Shang Pa (上帕) in Lushui (泸水) began circulating silver coins, copper coins, and paper money.

Land Ownership

Before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Nu land ownership was a mix of primitive communal land, individual private property, and a cooperative farming system. The ancient villages, such as Bi Jiang (碧江), retained remnants of the patriarchal family communal system (父系家族公社). For instance, the Ninth Administrative Village (第九行政村) in Bi Jiang (碧江) had 10 family communes (家族公社), each with public lands that could be cultivated by members, but the land could not be bought or sold.

By the early 20th century, private land ownership had become predominant, but cooperative farming still remained in practice. As the political situation in the region changed, migrations influenced the transition from family-based communal land to village-based systems. Gongshan (贡山) and Fugong (福贡) developed a mixed land ownership system, where villages included different ethnic groups and maintained both private ownership and village communal ownership.

Modern Development

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, significant advancements have been made in agriculture (农业) with the introduction of modern farming techniques and tools. Nujiang (怒江) has benefited from government support, which has led to the development of new varieties of crops and the establishment of agricultural training programs such as rice planting workshops (水稻种植培训班) and film farming techniques (薄膜栽培技术). The introduction of economic crops like oil tree (油桐) has become an important part of the local economy.

The traditional economy is rapidly transforming, and the region is moving toward diversification, with industry, handicrafts, and commerce gradually becoming separate from agriculture. Nujiang now has several factories and enterprises producing items such as mining (矿业), metallurgy (冶金), forest industry (森工), energy (能源), and agricultural machinery (农机制造). The tertiary sector (第三产业) has also seen significant growth, marking a major shift in the region’s economic landscape.

The Nu people (怒族) have seen dramatic improvements in living standards, and with the aid of neighboring ethnic groups, their economic and technological development continues to grow rapidly.

Culture

Language and Writing

The Nu (怒族) people have their own language, which belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Due to prolonged interactions with the Lisu (傈僳) people, the Nu people are generally fluent in the Lisu language as well. However, the Nu people do not have their own written script, and after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, they have adopted Chinese (汉语) as their written language.

Clothing

The traditional clothing of the Nu people is primarily made of hemp fabric. Women typically wear a long, open-front hemp robe that reaches the ankles, with red-edged fabric sewn along the front and back hems. Young girls often add an apron over the hemp robe and embellish the edges with colorful embroidery. Men wear a similar open-front hemp robe that reaches the knee, fastening it with a fabric belt or rope at the waist, and gathering the top part to hold items.

Both men and women pay close attention to adornment. Women wear headpieces and chest ornaments made from coral, agate, beads, shells, and silver coins, and they also wear coral-like earrings. They often wrap their heads with blue cloth or floral headscarves. Men typically wear their hair long, wrap it with a blue cloth, and tie cloth around their legs. They favor carrying machetes at their waist and shoulder-mounted bows and quivers filled with arrows.

Religion

The Nu people predominantly follow animism, believing that all things in nature have a spirit. They worship elements such as wind, rain, the sun, moon, stars, mountains, forests, trees, and rocks. There are two primary categories of spirits: ghost spirits (鬼灵) and god spirits (神灵). In the Fugong (福贡) area, the Nu people worship over thirty types of ghost spirits, including clan spirits, nature spirits, and disaster spirits. In Gongshan (贡山), the Nu people revere spirits like mountain ghosts, water ghosts, and road ghosts, as well as gods of the mountains, trees, hunting, water, and crops.

The Nu people’s natural worship rituals are led by spiritual leaders called Nima (尼玛) or Nima Ren (尼玛认), who are shamans possessing significant knowledge within the Nu society.

In the northern part of Gongshan (贡山), the Nu people, influenced by the Red Sect Lamaist temples (红教喇嘛寺), have many followers of Lamaism. After the introduction of Catholicism and Christianity by imperialist powers in the late 19th century, some Nu people also converted to these religions.

Folktales

The Nu people have a rich tradition of folklore, which has been passed down through generations. These stories often feature themes of dragons, fair maidens, orphans, strong heroes, vanquishing evil spirits, love, and animals. These folktales are not only engaging but also deeply philosophical, combining ethics, thoughtfulness, and entertainment. They reflect the heroic deeds of the Nu people in their struggles against both natural challenges and societal evil forces, as well as celebrating the intelligence, moral integrity, and idealism of their ancestors who settled in the Nujiang River (怒江) region.

Social System

The Nu (怒族) people have long adhered to a patriarchal family structure with a monogamous system, but they still maintain remnants of clan, family, and village communal organizations to varying degrees. In regions like Bijiang (碧江) and Fule Township (普乐乡), the clan organization and totem worship are still notably preserved. These clan ties continue to play a significant role in maintaining the collective interests of the entire group. In Fugong (福贡) and Gongshan (贡山), the Nu people continue to have large extended families, where villages are often made up of one extended family group. Other villages, such as Zhiziluo (知子罗), Laomudeng (老母登), Pule (普乐), and Guoke (果课), are composed of multiple clans and families, creating various village communes.

The Nu villages along the Nujiang River (怒江) have evolved into economic units, where individual families form the backbone of society. In Bijiang‘s Jiu Village (九村), for example, ten family communes are made up of 10 to 20 individual households. Each commune is led by a clan leader called “Asha” (阿沙), a title which is still used for modern village heads. The Asha is typically an elder with high social standing and respect, whose role is to manage communal affairs and mediate disputes. The Asha often also serves as the village shaman, conducting religious ceremonies.

Above the family level, clans in Nu society are primarily symbolic, with some remnants of these groups still existing. In Bijiang‘s Ninth Administrative Village (第九行政村), for example, there are two clans: the Feng Clan (蜂氏族) called “Douhuo” (斗霍) and the Tiger Clan (虎氏族) called “Dahuo” (达霍). These clans have historically shared close ties, with common worship rituals. Clans traditionally followed a father-son name continuity system, which is still practiced in places like Daliangshan Yi (大小凉山彝族) and Yuanyang Hani (元阳县哈尼族) among other groups. However, the Gongshan and Fugong areas do not have clan totems or the father-son name continuity system, reflecting differences in their social organization and customs.

Family and Village Communes

Family communes, or Gus (谷) in Bijiang dialect, and Tikang (体康) in Fugong dialect, are the traditional units formed by descendants of the same ancestor. These units form a sense of communal identity and manage shared lands. For example, in Bijiang, the Douhuo (斗霍) and Dahuo (达霍) clans are divided into multiple extended families such as Epigu (俄皮谷), Eha (俄哈谷), and Ezegu (俄则谷). In Fugong, the Punaqing (仆纳庆) clan is divided into subgroups like Cibang (次邦), Gunaibi (谷乃比), and Xiali (夏鄂).

The villages, called Keng (坑) in Bijiang and Ken (克恩) in Gongshan, are social and economic organizations based on geography, typically including members of multiple clans and families. Villages are often established in areas defined by mountains, valleys, or other natural boundaries, and new members must seek approval from the village leaders to settle there. The village members share farming lands and work together to manage resources, participate in festivals, and adhere to customary laws. Village leaders are elected from among the clan or family heads to oversee communal governance and religious ceremonies.

Clan and Village Alliances

Historically, there have been clan or village alliances formed to address conflicts or external threats. When a member of a clan or village was harmed, they could seek blood revenge by calling for a fight, which required the participation of kin from the same clan or village. In the late 19th century, for example, between 1880 and 1900, villages in Fugong such as Mugujia, Guquan, and Muling united in military conflicts with the Lisu (傈僳) people. However, these alliances were temporary and dissolved afterward, showing that permanent organizations had not yet developed.

Evolution of Leadership

Before 1912, the Nu people’s internal leadership was typically composed of clan and village heads known as Asha (阿沙). In Gongshan and Fugong, leadership also included appointed heads, such as Xiahu (夏瑚) in 1908, who sought to eliminate the influence of local rulers by appointing Nu and Lisu heads as “Nu Supervisors” or “Huo Tou” (伙头). These leaders remained independent and were organized by village communes. After 1912, the Yunnan (云南) provincial government introduced a system of administrative commissions and military-based organization (called “Baojia System”), which gradually replaced the traditional leadership system. Over time, Nu village heads were integrated into this system.

With the introduction of Christianity, some Nu village and clan leaders who converted became church leaders, leading to the development of a combined political and religious leadership system.

Alcohol Culture

The Nu people enjoy drinking and are skilled in brewing their own alcohol. Their traditional alcoholic beverages include Gudu Wine (咕嘟酒), Turbid Wine (浊酒), and Sorghum Wine (高粱酒). Gudu Wine is made from Gudu Rice (咕嘟饭), a mixture of cornmeal and buckwheat flour that resembles sticky rice cakes. The process involves cooling the rice, mixing it with yeast, and storing it in bamboo baskets to ferment for several days. After fermentation, the liquid is poured into jars, sealed, and aged for a few weeks before it is ready to drink. The wine is filtered using a sieve and mixed with water or honey for sweetness before consumption. This wine is rich, sweet, and has both thirst-quenching and health benefits.

Cable Bridges

The Nujiang Grand Canyon (怒江大峡谷) and its surrounding Biluoxue Mountain (碧罗雪山) and Gaoligong Mountain (高黎贡山) feature steep cliffs and turbulent water. Historically, transportation across the canyon has been challenging, earning the saying that “even mountain goats have no path to follow.” Only a few calm stretches of the river allowed the use of wooden boats for crossing, while other areas remained impassable. To overcome this, the Nu people traditionally used flying cables (溜索), an ancient transportation method to cross the river.

Flying cables are an essential part of Nu culture. Initially, large ropes made from bamboo strips were stretched across the river and tied to trees or rocks on each bank. People used a wooden platform (known as a sliding board or Liubang) to glide across the rope, holding onto the board with a rope tied around their waist. This system enabled the Nu people to maintain communication and trade across the river, allowing them to stay connected despite the rugged terrain.

Art and Culture

Music

Singing is one of the most popular folk activities in the lives of the Nu (怒族) people. It is both a natural expression of their inner feelings and a direct representation of their thoughts and emotions. During festivals, farming, hunting, housebuilding, harvest celebrations, and weddings, singing and musical exchanges are a central part of their social life. Some of the most influential and representative songs include: “Singing by the Firepit” (火塘边坐唱), “Sacrifice to the Hunting God” (祭猎神调), “Wedding Song” (婚礼歌), “Ruodeng Song” (若登调), and “Sacrificial Song” (祭祀歌).

Dance

Due to the different living environments and ancestral origins across various regions, the dance styles of the Nu people have evolved with distinct characteristics. Their dances preserve many ancient cultural elements shaped by historical, social, natural, and religious influences.

In Fugong County (福贡县), the Nu people have lived alongside the Lisu (傈僳) and Dai (傣) peoples for centuries, which has influenced their dance culture. As a result, their dances often resemble those of the Lisu and Dai, both in terms of dance forms and accompanying instruments. The rhythm and choreography reflect the strong influence of Dai dance, which emphasizes accents and bends.

The Nu people in Fugong have two major types of dance:

Dabiya Dance (达比亚舞): Performed with a traditional stringed instrument called Dabiya (怒族称“达比亚”), similar to a lute, which serves as both the musical accompaniment and the prop for the dance. The dance involves various positions and gestures, with the feet moving in rhythmic, bending motions driven by the knee joints. The dance symbolizes the Nu people’s customs related to hunting, agriculture, and fertility. Dabiya dances are often based on imitating the movements of animals, reflecting the Nu people’s close connection with the wildlife in the mountainous forests where they live.

Ga Dance (嘎舞): Performed without musical accompaniment, though some versions may include singing. The dance emphasizes stomping movements with strong, powerful knee motions. Ga is considered more primitive and rustic compared to Dabiya, and its content often includes themes of worship, exorcism, marriage celebrations, and the honoring of love. The dance can be performed solo, in pairs, or in groups.

In Gongshan County (贡山县), located along the upper reaches of the Nujiang River (怒江), the Nu people live near Tibet and have been heavily influenced by Tibetan culture. One of the popular dances here is called Kulu Qiang (库噜羌), also known as the Nu Ethnic Bozhuang (怒族锅庄). The dance includes both singing and dancing, with lyrics often in Tibetan. The dance is typically performed during holidays, house building, and wedding celebrations. Men and women dance in circles or in rows, holding hands and singing while performing coordinated steps. The dance is characterized by forward and backward stomping movements. The young people often use this dance to express admiration or affection for one another, and it can also be a playful way to tease one another.

Traditional Festivals

One of the grandest celebrations for the Nu people is the Flower Festival (鲜花节), also known as the Fairy Festival (仙女节), which celebrates the ancient matriarchal traditions of the Nu clan. This festival is held on the 15th day of the third lunar month, during which the hillsides near Fairy Cave (仙女洞) bloom with flowers. People from the Nujiang River‘s three mountains and nine villages gather to pick flowers and honor the fairy. The celebration lasts for three days and nights, filled with song and dance, including the graceful Dabiya, the rough Ga, and the lively Kulu Qiang. The Kulu Qiang dance typically reaches its peak during this festival.

Traditional Housing

Nu houses are traditionally built in a stilted bamboo style, with wood and mud brick walls or stone-topped roofs. The stilted bamboo houses are colloquially known as “Thousand Legs Grounded” (千脚落地). The construction begins by digging holes in the leveled ground to erect numerous posts. Three central posts provide structural support, and bamboo or wooden planks are laid across them. The walls are reinforced with bamboo strips. The lower floor is used for housing livestock, while the upper floor serves as living quarters. The roof is made of thatch or wooden planks, and the entire structure is rectangular, divided into a living room and bedrooms. In the living room, a large firepit (火塘) is placed at the center, used for cooking, heating, and welcoming guests.

There are also two types of wooden houses in Nu culture:

Floor-style wooden houses: These are built with logs arranged horizontally to form walls. A layer of bamboo or wood is placed over the logs, followed by another layer of wooden or bamboo walls. The roof is covered with thatch. These houses are typically divided into upper and lower levels, with the lower level used as a barn and the upper level as a living space.

Ground-level wooden houses: These houses are built directly on leveled ground without stilts. The roofs are usually made of thatch or wooden planks.

Stone-topped houses are unique in design, using locally available weathered stones to create roofs. This style is different from the typical thatched or wooden roofs of other types of houses.

Mudbrick houses are built on flatter terrain with stone foundations and mud walls. The roofs are constructed with grass or wooden boards. These homes reflect the adaptation of the Nu people to their local environment, using available resources for construction.

Festivals

The Nu (怒族) people traditionally celebrated the New Year every three years. However, over time and under the influence of other ethnic groups, this was changed to an annual celebration. The Nu New Year has two main periods: one around New Year’s Day and the other around Chinese New Year. Before the New Year, preparations include gathering firewood, slaughtering pigs, brewing wine, grinding rice cakes, and cleaning. On the first night of the New Year, elders are invited to a feast, and on the early morning of the first day, the first bowl of rice is given to the dog. From the first to the third day of the New Year, the Nu people refrain from visiting each other’s homes. During this time, elders drink and sing around the firepit, while young people engage in activities like crossbow shooting, wrestling, swinging, and playing musical instruments while dancing.

The Nu people also celebrate several other traditional festivals, such as Chinese New Year (春节), Torch Festival (火把节), 14th of July (七月十四), New Rice Festival (新米节), and Mountain and Forest Sacrifice Festival (祭山林节), which is typically held on the 4th or 5th day of the first lunar month. The Nu people of Ruo Ruo (柔若) celebrate a unique custom for new house blessings. Before the wooden house has doors and windows installed, the owner kills a chicken, and a shaman performs a blessing ritual. A hole is cut in the wall with an axe to install the door. On this day, people from the village bring chicken, wine, and meat to congratulate the owner, enjoying a night of drinking, singing, and dancing.

In Bijiang (碧江), the Nu people hold a Harvest Ritual to honor the grain deity on the 29th day of the 12th lunar month, followed by a ritual to honor the rain god on the 30th.

One of the most significant festivals is the Flower Festival (鲜花节), held annually from the 15th to the 17th of the 3rd lunar month, coinciding with the blooming of rhododendron flowers. This festival, also known as the Fairy Festival (仙女节), celebrates the legendary Nu heroine A Rong (阿茸), who is said to have created an oasis by splitting a mountain with her bare hands to bring water to the parched land. This festival involves offering sacrifices, singing, dancing, and celebrating in the Fairy Cave (仙女洞). The Nu people gather flowers and offerings, with participants performing ritual dances and songs, culminating in a festive atmosphere of community bonding.

In modern times, the Fairy Festival has evolved, with government support providing materials, organizing movie screenings, and holding sporting events such as rowing and archery competitions. The festival now symbolizes unity and cultural exchange among different ethnic groups.

Marriage Customs

The Nu people follow a monogamous marriage system. Generally, a marriage proposal is made when the man reaches the age of 20 or older. Once a family selects a bride, a skilled speaker will visit the girl’s family to propose. Upon the parents’ approval and after negotiating the dowry, the agreement is binding. The dowry typically consists of one to two yellow cattle (黄牛).

Marriage dates are not strictly chosen based on auspiciousness, and the groom prepares food and drink. The bride’s family invites relatives and friends to a celebration where 100-200 rice cakes are brought to the groom’s family. The marriage ceremony lasts one day and night, after which the groom goes to the bride’s family to show filial respect. The groom kills a pig and brings wine and rice cakes. During his stay at the bride’s home, the groom is expected to chop wood, repair the house, and assist with housework. After a week, the groom and bride begin living together.

There are additional customs in Nu marriage, such as the “house-moving” tradition and the “asking for a man” (讨男子) custom.

Food Customs

The Nu (怒族) people traditionally eat two meals a day, with corn being the staple food. Corn is prepared in various ways, such as popped corn, steamed corn porridge, and Gudou rice (a thick cornmeal paste). One of the most distinctive traditional dishes is Shiban Ba (石板粑粑), made by using a smooth, locally sourced stone slab (about 1 cm thick) as a pan. The stone is heated, and cornmeal paste is cooked on it to form a soft and crispy dish with a unique flavor.

Some Nu people who follow Tibetan Buddhist traditions also eat butter tea and Tsampa (flour dough balls). Common vegetables include greens, cabbage, radishes, beans, and chili peppers. During May and June, wild vegetables such as bamboo shoots, wild lilies, roots, and ferns are gathered from the mountains. They also use ginger, garlic, and Sichuan pepper for seasoning. Starchy plants like yams are either eaten directly or ground into flour to make dough cakes.

Nu people enjoy roasted meat and clear stews, whether it’s fish or wild game. Dog meat consumption is uncommon, and children are forbidden from eating bear, tiger, or jackal meat. They also avoid eating chicken feet, chicken blood, and women under 40 refrain from eating hearts and lungs.

A special delicacy is Gudou Wine (咕嘟酒), a honey-sweetened alcoholic beverage, most famously brewed in Gongshan (贡山). The wine is served with honey, and its sweet, aromatic flavor is refreshing. Drinking is often accompanied by singing, and it is a tradition for both men and women to drink and sing heartily until they are intoxicated.

The Nu people also make a unique lacquer tea (漆油茶), inspired by the Tibetan butter tea but made with lacquer seeds (漆籽) for oil, as they don’t have yaks for butter. This tea, made by mixing the oil with tea, salt, and walnuts, is a nutritious drink often consumed by those who are ill or new mothers.

New Year and Festival Food

At the end of the lunar year, every household cleans their courtyard, sweeps the firepit, and decorates their doorframes with pine branches. The ground and kitchenware are covered with pine needles, symbolizing the renewal for the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, families have a reunion meal. In the early hours of the first day of the New Year, young men rush to fetch “auspicious water” from the well and then pay respects to the elders, who offer wine, oil tea, and fried snacks in return. The first meal of the year is divided among the cattle and dogs, with special rituals to feed them.

During the New Year, pigs and sheep are slaughtered, and families exchange gifts while inviting friends and relatives over for a grand feast, with abundant food and drinks. Other festivals like Flower Festival (鲜花节), Grain God Festival (祭谷神节), and Mountain and Forest Festival (祭山林节) also involve special foods and rituals. During the Grain God Festival, the food and shredded meat are mixed in a large basket, and everyone eats together using their hands.

Weddings are the largest feasts in Nu culture. Before the wedding banquet, the groom helps his father-in-law with chores like cutting firewood or farming. Only after these tasks are completed does the wedding feast take place. The banquet includes rich food, and the venue is carefully decorated. During the ceremony, the bride and groom share wedding wine, and unmarried girls throw flour on them, symbolizing good luck and fertility.

The Nu people are known for their hospitality. When guests arrive, the entire village offers the best wild game. The host quickly prepares a feast, including a special dish of Shiban Ba (石板粑粑), where a fried egg or roasted pork is placed in between two pieces of the cornmeal cake. This symbolizes the couple, and the meat or egg represents the wish for prosperous offspring. After the meal, the host and guests drink “Unite in Heart Wine” (同心酒) together.

Notable Figures

A Hong (阿洪): Exact birth and death dates unknown. According to legend, he was born in Bijiang (碧江) in Yunnan, during the reign of the Nu ancestor Chichihui (赤赤维), which is about 8 generations ago.

Nü Luo Nü Ji (虐罗虐及): Ancestor of the Nu people, the 36th generation from Bijiang (碧江), Yunnan.

Wa Xiang Shui (哇详水): The 9th generation ancestor of the Nu people in Fugong (福贡), Yunnan, during the 17th century.

Deng Ba Cai (邓扒才): Born in 1943 in Fugong (福贡), Yunnan. A prominent figure in the Nu community and one of the first generation of Nu cadres after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Li Shao En (李绍恩): Born in 1959 in Lanping (兰坪), Yunnan. Graduated from Yunnan University with a degree in philosophy. He has published over 50 works in philosophy and social sciences.

Geng Di Rong (耿地荣): A folk orthopedic doctor born in 1943, known for his expertise in traditional medicine.