Bronze drums are the most notable instrument of the Bouyei. They are used as a symbol of power to rally crowds. Additionally, they are played in rituals and events, such as weddings and funerals, for special purposes. Bouyei houses are easily recognizable due to their unique structure. They are usually made of solid stone with an empty ground floor for raising livestock; while humans live upstairs. Bouyei men all have excellent stonemasonry skills and are good at creating elaborately patterned roofs on stone buildings. Young Bouyei advocate a free relationship, unlike the ancient tradition of matchmaking in many other areas of China. The weekly market and festivals are opportunities to meet people. A young man asks his beloved out and sings love songs to her. If the girl is attracted to him, she will throw him a ball made of silk strips that she has embroidered herself. If the man is agreeable, they arrange a date where they will sing love songs to each other. It takes very little time to go from dating to dating. The man will ask a third person (usually a relative of the girl) to propose on his behalf and to donate meat and good wine to his family. Once her future in-laws agree, the two families will begin preparing for the wedding. One of their famous crafts is batik. The Bouyei of Guizhou mainly practice this craft. They produce batik clothing and fabrics to sell in markets or as exchange for other goods. They are also good at weaving and embroidery. Costumes and Ornaments Bouyei clothing is dark in color and edged with brightly colored lace. Bouyei women wear blue shirts covered by half-sleeved blue jackets with large cuffs embroidered with floral patterns and bronze-studded slanted collar...... middle of paper ...... are the descendants of the Qiang people who resided on the the Tibetan plateau in the first centuries of the Common Era. They migrated to Yunnan between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, and in 1730 they moved south again, to the Honghe River in the east and the Lancang River in the west, and settled in the areas where they live today. Language The Lahu language belongs to the Yi language. of the Han-Tibetan language family. It is divided into the Lahu Na and Lahu Xi dialects. Religion Traditional Lahu religion includes recognition of a wide variety of natural and ancestral spirits. The Lahu worship an omnipotent creator God called Gui Sha, who dominates the other lesser spirits. Gui Sha requires sacrifices of animals, as well as other foods at important times in the agricultural calendar, such as planting and harvesting, and whenever a person or animal is sick.