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The Nu nationality has a population
of only 27,000. They stay mainly in Lushui, Fugong,
Gongshan, and Lanping counties of Nujiang Prefecture.
Those in nouthern fugong and Gongshan called themselves
"Along" and "Anu", and had kinship
with the Dulong nationality in ancient times. Those
living in southern Fugong and Gongshan areas called
themselves "Nusu" and were regarded as the
descendants of the Lu-lu people of the Tang Dynasty,
who were called "Luman" in the Yuan dynasty
and "Nuren" in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The ancestors of these two tribes lived in the same
regions together for a long tome in the Nujiang Cangyou,
and combined to form one nationality as time passed
by.
The language of the Nu nationality belongs
to the Tibeto-Burman Branch of sino-Tibetan Language
family. Since they have been living together in the
same area with the Lisu people, most of them can speak
the Lisu langgage. But they use the Han writing system.
the majority of them believe in primitive religion,
and worship their ancestors, but some believe in Lamaism
and Christianity.
The Nu people are good at playing musical
instruments. their major musical instruments are pipa,
kouxuan, dizi (Chinese flute) and hulusheng. Young
people express their love by means of pipa and kouxan.
On these occasions, lovers use music instead of words
to communicate with each other.
Both men and women wear linen clothes.
The Nu men usually wear long linen gowns with blue
broche patterns. When they go out, they always bring
their cutting swords, bows and fur arrow-bags. The
women in Lushui and Fugong counties usually wear coats
with buttons on the right, and ling skirts decorated
with colorful laces. They wear coral and plastic beads
on their heads and chests as ornaments. But the women
in Gingshan only wear chest ornaments.
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