Naxi Women - A Matriachal Society

The Naxi, are one of the minority groups living in Yunnan region and Lijiang is  home to the majority of the 320,000 population.

As it is a cold climate, they wear  many layered, wool clothing.  

Women  traditionally wear  a long, unlined gown and a colorful, embroidered cape.  Under the gown the wear trousers,  or as in these photos they wear an apron over the trousers. 

Blue is a traditional colour and many women had blue hats and aprons.

 

 A black sheepskin cape is a distinctive feature of their costume.  It  has seven round designs embroidered on it to represent the stars. White and black are the main colors. White symbolizes the sky while black the earth. 

"Together, the sky, earth and stars that are sewn onto the Naxi woman's cape symbolize the industriousness of the Naxi women."

Traditionally the Naxi were a strictly matriarchal society with the women taking the dominant role in business and society. This tradition has been somewhat lost in mainstream Naxi culture today.

As a matriarchal society, the Naxi take a flexible approach to marriage and partnership. Women typically live separately from men, and take several partners. They also bear full responsibility for any children born, with little formal involvement of the father.

It is not just the children that are the responsibility of women. Property and valuable possession too belong to the women, and titles and positions of power pass through the female line.