There is no saying that the Mosuo people have to walk several times in their lifetime, because walking also depends on emotions. If the relationship between a man and a woman in a walking marriage is stable, then walking marriage will only happen once in a lifetime, accompanying them for a lifetime. If the relationship between a man and a woman is not good, it is also possible to end this walking marriage and find someone else to walk with.
The process of Mosuo ethnic walking marriage:
1. Choose a lover at the bonfire party
Even if Mosuo girls reach adulthood at the age of 13, they can still get married around the age of 15. The courtship style of young men and women in Mosuo is basically the same as that of Han and other ethnic groups - they meet through labor, life, and visiting friends. After both parties have a good impression, they will have the opportunity to dance hand in hand at bonfire parties, gently grasping each other's palms. If the other party is willing, they will come back. That night, the young man could climb up the window of the girl's flower house and complete his first marriage.
2. Confirm the relationship and hold a ceremony in Zangbala
At the beginning of marriage, it was sneaky. After establishing a certain emotional foundation, Mosuo men and women exchanged gifts as tokens of love. As the relationship deepens, the number of secret meetings increases, and the relationship between couples needs to be stable. At this time, Zangbala was a ceremony for ancient Mosuo people to worship the furnace god Bodhisattva and pay homage to their ancestors.
The Zangbala ceremony is held in women's homes, usually scheduled in the middle of the night. There are no friends or banquets, as long as there are witnesses in the male family who bring the suitor to the female family, bow to the ancestors, bow to the furnace god, and bow to the female elders and family. After the ceremony, the relationship between young men and women becomes public, so there is no need to secretly climb up the stairs and flip through the windows.
3. Both parties choose to break up when their relationship breaks down
When Mosuo people get married, it is always the woman who takes the initiative. Regardless of whether the Tibetan Bala ceremony has been held or not, if the man is someone who talks sweet words and only says they don't know, the woman will choose to part ways without mercy.