THE LOLOS OF KIENTCHANG, WESTERN CHINA! 
[With 4 plates. ] 
By Dr. A. F. Legenpre. 
There are a number of aboriginal peoples in the western part 
of China, in the Setchouen (Szech’uan) Alps, but the most interesting 
is the race known as the “Lolotte.’’ Dwelling in a region perhaps the 
wildest on the earth, their physical and moral characteristics, their 
strange customs, and, above all, their superb courage in the face of 
that formidable foe, the ‘‘Son of Han,”’ present a strong attraction 
to the European, opening up a wide field for observation. 
I first became directly interested in the Lolos in the year 1904 in the 
vicinity of Fulin at the home of Father Martin, the missionary, who 
knows them best and who gave me most valuable information. But 
it was not until 1907 that I began to study them seriously in going 
directly to Kientchang, where I saw much of them in their villages, 
could study their daily life, their curious habits, and could note the 
horror of the bloody feuds between the rival clans and the warlike 
organization of the tribes. 
In 1908 I visited many Lolo districts, and, profiting by the expe- 
rience previously acquired, my observations on this occasion were 
much more accurate, and, being more extended, enabled me to 
verify my first impressions. In the villages, as a host, I gained the 
confidence of the families and could observe and interrogate them at 
my leisure. Finally, in January and February, 1909, I journeyed 
into the rougher and more turbulent region of Ta Leang Shan, where 
there were constant raids against the Chinese and bitter feuds between 
the clans. The journey was short but interesting in many respects.’ 
I shall briefly describe the physical character of the Lolo country, 
It occupies in the western part of the Province of Setchouen a vast 
region entirely mountainous. It is a chaos of high ridges and narrow 
valleys, with some lower ridges and plateaus cultivated to a certain 
extent with maize, buckwheat, and oats, but used chiefly as natural 
pastures. There are some large tracts where excellent grasses grow, 
1 Translated by permission from Revue de l’Ecole d’ Anthropologie, Paris, 1910, vol. 20, pp. 185-205. 
2 See La Geographie, April, 1909. 
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