Yunnan "Beauty Bath, Bathhouse Meeting" Beauty Bath
"The Bathhouse Meeting" is a festival activity of the Lisu ethnic group in Yunnan with a history of more than 200 years. It is said that it can eliminate diseases and wash away the mistakes and sins of a year. The center is located near the Denggeng Yijin Bridge on the Nu River, about ten kilometers away from Lushui County (Lukou), the capital of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. For three to five days after the second day of the first lunar month every year, thousands of Lisu people from hundreds of miles away gather here. Some lay dry grass under the rocks, others set up tents, make fires and cook food on the spot. They also engage in entertainment activities such as swinging on swings, "Bashi" (song competition), climbing the knife ladder, stepping on fiery coals, and shooting crossbows. Several natural hot spring pools by the river are visited every day. It is said that they can eliminate diseases, wash away the mistakes and sins of a year, and have sufficient energy to devote to the new year's work. Now, the autonomous prefecture government has developed it into an official tourist attraction. It is about 2,260 kilometers from Guangzhou to Lukou by self-driving. There are highways and national highways, and the road conditions are acceptable. Generally, it takes three days for a one-way trip.
This year's rare snowfall forced many "Old Guangs" to spend the Spring Festival in Guangzhou. However, I "escaped" to the Nu River in Yunnan and had a "romantic encounter" bathing with naked Lisu women.
Four photography friends, one small car, we started our westward journey from Guangzhou on February 3rd. We first turned to Yuanyang, Yunnan, and enjoyed the dreamlike scenery of the misty terraced fields. On the morning of the second day of the first lunar month, we arrived at the Nu River in Lukou, Yunnan, and caught up with the annual Lisu "Bathhouse Meeting".
It was just dawn, there were not many people, but there were already quite a few tents or pavilions by the river, and some sundries stalls or snack stalls had also "opened". We went down to the riverside along a small road, wow! A bright scene came into view - there were more than ten naked women soaking in the hot spring pool! Although there were seven or eight tourists around with cameras taking pictures horizontally and vertically, they were talking and laughing naturally, "as if you weren't there." Of course, saying "naked" isn't entirely accurate. Generally, middle-aged and older women would be topless, while younger ones would cover more. Only older women and children would be completely naked. It is said that in the past, men and women bathed together naked, but now it is getting more "civilized", with less nudity and less intimacy between men and women. Generally, they bathe in separate pools.