Our destination was Lugu Lakesupposedly home to the only matriarchal society left on Earth. This unique civilization is based around the banks and beaches of the lake, a spectacular alpine body of water which straddles the Sichuan and Yunnan border in southwest China. Sitting at an altitude of 2,685 meters, it is officially the highest lake in either province. We didn’t quite believe that a society like this could exist, and if it did, how it could function peacefully. We boarded the Lugu Lakebound bus to investigate. Though a handful of China’s 55 ethnic minority groups are represented here, including Yi and Pumi peoples-it is the Mosuo and the dominant role of their women in society that attract visitors. These people may number a mere 40,000 in total, Our destination was Lugu Lakesupposedly home to the only matriarchal society left on Earth. This unique civilization is based around the banks and beaches of the lake, a spectacular alpine body of water which straddles the Sichuan and Yunnan border in southwest China. Sitting at an altitude of 2,685 meters, it is officially the highest lake in either province. We did not quite believe that a society like this could exist, and if it did, how it could function peacefully. We boarded the Lugu Lakebound bus to investigate. Though a handful of China’s 55 ethnic minority groups are represented here, including Yi and Pumi peoples-it is the Mosuo and the dominant role of their women in society that attract visitors. These people may number a mere 40,000 in total,