THE LOLOS OF KIENTCHANG, WESTERN CHINA. 1 



[With 4 plates.] 



By Dr. A. F. Legendre. 



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. 2 



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, 



'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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