Zhejiang Province, China

Zhejiang China >> Lishui

Lishui Zhejiang China

Meaning of the name of "Lishui"

"Beautiful Water"

Population

Some of the inhabitants of the area are of the She ethnic minority.

Location

On the Ou River about 200 km (125 miles) south of Hangzhou and about 90 km (60 miles) from the East China Sea.

Language

Lishui natives speak one of the Northern Wu dialects, which is similar to the dialects spoken in Hangzhou and Shanghai.

Folklore

The peoples of the She minority living in the Lishui area have many unique traditions based on their folklore. One popular wedding tradition based on a legend is called Jiehuo, where the groom is given 40 poetic riddles to solve, in order to prove both his wits and his knowledge of the domestic arts. In an extension of the tradition called "Question and Answer Singing Overnight", the bride's family poses singing riddles to the groom's family from the end of the wedding supper until dawn.