Green development

"According to the legends we are brought up with, anyone sullying the waters of Lake Lugu or felling the trees around it faces the eternal wrath of the mountains and gods," Geze said.

Lugu Lake, revered by the Mosuo people as a holy lake, holds a sacred place in their hearts and culture. For generations, the Mosuo have lived in harmony with the lake, guided by a deep sense of reverence.

However, the 1990s brought a wave of change that threatened this delicate balance. The rapid growth of tourism, while economically beneficial, led to increasing pollution and ecological degradation. The lake, once pristine, began to suffer under the weight of human activity.

In response, Yunnan and Sichuan provinces have collaborated to protect and manage Lugu Lake through the introduction of a protection convention.

As of 2024, significant progress has been made. According to the Lijiang authorities, 17 waterfront platforms and six piers have been dismantled and those areas of the lake restored to their natural state. In addition, 160 residential inns within the 80-meter ecological red line have been removed, freeing up 118,900 square meters of land.

This land has been repurposed for the construction of ecological corridors and wetland buffer zones, marking a major shift from "human encroachment" to "ecological restoration".

To ensure long-term sustainability, local authorities have also implemented strict regulations on lake activities and surrounding businesses. Boating zones have been designated, and fuel-powered, motorized and metal boats are now prohibited from entering the lake.

These measures have paid off. Lugu Lake's water quality now consistently meets Class 1 standards, making it one of China's cleanest freshwater lakes, with underwater visibility reaching up to 12 meters.

Geze, a lifelong resident, has noticed the change. "Now, I can see the sea vegetable flowers (ottelia acuminata) waving on the lake again, just like when I was a child," he said. The return of this rare aquatic plant, a type of water lily, is a testament to the lake's ecological recovery.

With the environment on the mend, green tourism has flourished around the lake. The local government has introduced architectural planning measures to preserve 127 Mosuo traditional houses and 25 ancient villages.

Efforts to promote Mosuo culture include supporting regional intangible cultural heritage inheritors and organizing traditional festivals. A range of cultural tourism products, such as Mosuo highland red rice, preserved pork, and handmade textiles, have also been developed to enrich the visitor experience.

In 2023, the number of tourists entering the scenic area from Lijiang reached 1.58 million, a 176 percent increase from the previous year. Tourism revenue soared to 92 million yuan, up 232 percent.

Local residents have reaped the benefits, with per capita annual income rising from 829 yuan in 2003 to 34,500 yuan in 2023 — a more than 40-fold increase, according to local tourism authorities.

Today, most Mosuo villagers work in tourism-related roles, from hospitality and boating to traditional dance performances and homestay management. Along the lake, 378 guesthouses offer 7,560 rooms and 13,590 beds, providing comfortable accommodation for visitors.