However, the economic growth in the 1980s brought an unexpected revival in interest in old matrilineal ways.

"When allowed to choose freely after experiencing different models, many Mosuo consciously returned to walking marriages as both modern and culturally resonant," wrote Duma Lamu of Lijiang Culture and Tourism College in a research article.

Dashi, the hotel owner, said: "Modernity's pull grows stronger as tourism wealth sends Mosuo youth flocking to cities. Many settle outside and start nuclear families."

But he remains optimistic, saying: "With prosperity comes renewed interest in preserving roots. Cultural conservation and development aren't enemies — they're partners."

Ciren said: "Today's youth have bold visions, and society increasingly embraces diverse marital choices. While elders may have worries, most choose understanding over opposition."

As sunlight dances on Lugu Lake, Dashi's lodge stands as a metaphor for his people's navigation of modernity. Within its timber walls, Wi-Fi routers will soon nestle beside ancestral carvings — a testament to the Mosuo's enduring truth: that progress need not erase tradition, so long as cultural codes evolve with care.

"Whether in matrilineal compounds or urban apartments, the Mosuo compass remains fixed on mutual support," Ciren said.

"Our culture's essence isn't about household structure, but about how we lean on each other to find happiness in changing tides."