The Ainis, a branch of the Hani minority, are the most passionate about their dress of all the ethnic groups in the mountains of southern Yunnan Province, Southwest China.

Our visit to the Aini villages, in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, provided an insight into the Ainis' unique costumes and the transitions under way in their lives.

We knew that seashells would be the most welcome gifts for the Aini people, who have lived in the mountains for generations and never seen the ocean.

The pack of seashells we brought quickly helped us get involved with local life.

When we presented three seashells to our hostess, Api, in Pazhen Village, a smile appeared on her wrinkled face. To show her gratitude, she showed us the seashells she had kept for many years. Some of them were drilled and others remained intact.

Api told us the drilled pieces were once used as ornaments while the intact ones - called "Tongxi" - had been a form of currency long before silver and paper money were used.

The belts made of seashells and seeds of wild banana were the most impressive adornments we found in the Aini villages.

The belts are family heirlooms, passed from generation to generation. The patterns on the belts have different meanings - shells strung in pairs signify a family with sons, while those strung singly identify a family with daughters.

A son takes his father's family name to keep the family line alive.

The Aini people treasure seashells and believe they have magical powers.

"Seashells are different from other ornaments. When we die, we can leave all our belongings to our descendants except for the seashells," said Api.

It is said that when a man dies, he has to take with him three intact seashells to stop evil from eating his soul. If he does not have the complete pieces, he must take nine broken ones instead.

Sometimes the seashells are used as medicine by the Ainis, especially for children.

"In a word, they have become a must-have for each Aini family," concluded Api.

Over the past few decades, archaeologists have unearthed a large number of seashells in ancient tombs in Yunnan dating back to more than 2,000 years. Studies show these unearthed seashells were transported from the shore of the Pacific Ocean to Yunnan via the Honghe and the Mekong rivers.

Historical records also prove seashells were widely used as currency from about 700 BC to the 16th century.

Divination ritual

Zhuipa, the most acclaimed diviner in Pazhen Village, also showed great interest in our seashells.

He took a close look at each seashell and then pointed at one of them, saying to Api: "This one has eyes and it can see. I'm sure it will be useful for rituals. Please look after it carefully."

Diviners like Zhuipa, who are called "Beimo" by the locals, are regarded as messengers who can transmit information between the spirit and human worlds.

The Aini people traditionally divine fortunes by using seashells. If the seashell can be balanced on an egg, it means good fortune. If it falls off, it means disaster is coming.

During our stay in the village, we were lucky enough to take part in a divination ritual held by Zhuipa.

At the center of the room was a bamboo table where a bowl of rice, a piece of ginger and a clump of salt were placed. They represented the Hans, the Dais and the Ainis respectively. There was an egg inside the bowl of rice.

There were also bowls of tea, water, wine and cooked rice on the table.

After sitting down at the table, Zhuipa spilled wine on its surface, dripped tea in the cooked rice and then asked each of us to place a one yuan note on the table.

He propped up the egg in the rice and began to murmur incantations we could not understand. Then he took a seashell in one hand and moved it slowly onto the egg, trying to make it stand erect.

The room fell silent. We all held our breath and stared at Zhuipa's hand. Unfortunately, the seashell dropped from the egg time and again. The diviner became increasingly worried. He took another seashell and decided to try again.

He did not fail us this time - the seashell finally stood erect on the egg.

But the ritual was not over yet. The egg was then boiled with the rice. As Zhuipa peeled the boiled egg, he told us that one of us would fall sick but we would have a fruitful and safe trip.

Silver ornaments

The Aini people are particularly known for their elaborate costumes.

They dress differently as they age, changing their head ornaments in particular. But whatever the changes, silver ornaments always play a significant role.

Many Aini women like to use silver dollars as head ornaments. Most of the coins, dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), have been worn for generations.

In each family, the mother passes her silver ornaments onto her daughter. The most valuable family treasures are worn by women.

Young Aini women begin to study weaving and embroidery at the age of 18.

Their enthusiasm for dressing up is unparalleled - whenever they go out, they take care with their appearance. Even when they are going to work in the mountains, they put on their jewels and ornaments.

"Young women are expected to look pretty and well-dressed. That's an important aspect of our culture," said Siche, a 75-year-old "Nipa" in another village named Pasa.

Most of the "Nipa" are middle-aged women who are believed to have magical powers and help villagers cure diseases. They also treat sick people by preparing special teas made from herbs and roots.

Siche used to work with the local women's federations and became a "Nipa" at the age of 56.

"No matter if I'm a federation member or a 'Nipa,' my job is to help my villagers," said Siche.

Like most of the Aini women, Siche was proud of her head ornaments - some silver dollars dating back to the Qing Dynasty are part of her life savings. Two were given to her by her husband while most of the others she earned herself.

Siche's clothes seem similar to those worn by others, except for two strings of lugu - the fruits of a local wild plant.

Siche told us the lugu was once used to decorate traditional Aini costumes. But women nowadays prefer to decorate their clothes with glass and plastic beads.

Jialuo, 73, the oldest man in Pasa Village, is probably one of the few who have an in depth understanding of the lugu.

"The marriage is confirmed by lugu. If a married women does not have twin babies, she must keep the lugu until her death," Jialuo explained.

Women used to wear costumes decorated with the lugu at ceremonial occasions such as weddings and funerals, he added.

Extinct tradition

Age has not clouded Jialuo's memory. Without a break he recites his genealogy, which so far spans 60 generations.

"About 20 generations ago, each Aini man was able to recite his own family tree anytime. It was an indelible part of their responsibilities," he explained. "When they met Aini people from other places, they were able to exchange their genealogy and got to know how close their families were."

"In addition to his own genealogy, 'Beimo,' the diviner, must remember those of other villagers," added Jialuo, whose grandfather was once a "Beimo" in the village.

When people came for help, the diviner should be able to recite their genealogy and pray to their ancestors to drive the evil spirits away, he explained.

Ever since he was a child, Jialuo has taken part in rituals with his grandfather. Yet he did not carry on the calling and instead worked as an accountant in the local credit co-operative.

Greatly influenced by his grandfather, Jialuo knows a lot about the Aini's traditional customs and culture.

For instance, when people search for medicinal herbs in the mountains, they should speak the name of the spirit in charge of medicine. Upon finding the herb, they must leave silver on the ground before taking the medicine away. Otherwise, the herb will not work, Jialuo said.

"If I had a tape recorder, I would record all the history and customs of our Aini people. The young people nowadays have no idea where we came from and how to carry on our traditions," he said.

He was sad because not only the traditions but the relics of the village - such as the Longba Gate - were gradually vanishing.

The gate was demolished to make way for a road.

According to folklore, the gate of the village was a dividing line between spirits and humans. Men are in charge of the world inside the gate while the spirits control the outside.

"At the birth of the world, God made the Longba Gate out of magic bamboo in order to protect people from evil," said Jialuo.

Unfortunately, such protection no longer exists. As a remedy, Jialuo built a gate in front of his house.

When we paid a visit to his home, he showed us a stone axe which he had hidden in his courtyard for many years.

Many ethnic groups in Yunnan are accustomed to keeping a stone axe in their homes to protect themselves from evil.

This article is contributed by China's Ethnic Groups magazine

(China Daily December 4, 2003)