Lijiang is dominated by the Naxi, a Sino-Tibetan people who have been named as one of China’s official 55 ethnic minorities. Legend tells of the elephant god Tabu who is said to have helped them hatch from magic eggs, whilst their unique pictographic script documents their migration from Tibet over a thousand years ago. The Naxi are a matriarchal society, with all property and assets passed down through the woman’s side of the family. Traditionally the men were only permitted to visit their azhu, (walk-in female friend) at night, and then return to their mother’s house in the morning. When the Chinese first banned these customs in 1723 a number of Naxi women committed suicide in protest. Continual attempts of assimilation by the Chinese have been somewhat successful, though it is still easy to spot many of the Naxi women who continue to proudly don their violet tops crisscrossed at the chest with white sashes. Religious belief has been influenced by Lijiang’s position on a cultural crossroads. They have taken elements from Tibetan Bon religion, Animism, Buddhism, Daoism and even Christianity which was introduced by missionaries a hundred years ago. There were over 4,000 Naxi Dongba priests before ‘liberation’ in 1949, and in recent years there has been a cautious resurgence of traditional culture.