----Li River

--- Zuo River

--- Yao People

--- Zhuang People

--- Guilin

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Yao women are known for their phenomenal strength. Besides twirling parasols while the men blow reed instruments, and otherwise making merry around the fire as you see here, they play a game with a bamboo pole around three inches in diameter and 10 feet long (roughly 7 or 8cm x 3m). Two opponents each place an end of the pole just above the belt line, get a good stance and grip, and try to push the other over. I just managed to hold my own against a 12-year-old girl, whom I outweighed by quite a margin, by trying to visualize a flow of chi energy through the pole and pushing as hard as possible. This was a source of some satisfaction, because to draw a match with them is unusual regardless of weight advantage.