The Secret Language of Female Solidarity: A Unique Expression of Nushu

I've always been fascinated by niche languages and scripts. During my trip to Yongzhou, the "City of Liu Zongyuan's Pain," I made a special visit to the Jiangyong Nushu Garden. Unfortunately, the staff at the Nushu Museum were eager to leave for the day, so I missed the opportunity to learn Nushu from a non-material cultural heritage inheritor. Nushu is the only script in the world created exclusively for women. It served as a secret language among the Han and Yao women of Jiangyong and stands as a unique cultural fossil. Passed down through generations within families and among friends, Nushu has been impacted by the custom of "burning the books upon death." As a result, the number of natural inheritors who can read and write Nushu has dwindled, leading to its inclusion on the national list of intangible cultural heritage. Nushu unites "Laotong" ( sworn sisters). It gained wider recognition thanks to the popularity of the film "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," starring Li Bingbing. Regardless of age, as long as there's a strong bond, women can become Laotong, also known as Lao Geng. This non-blood-related female support system, where individuals share joys and sorrows, represents a form of quasi-sisterhood. Nushu is elegant and delicate, and Nushu calligraphy is inherently beautiful. My favorite Nushu work, "Endless Life," uses the interplay of light and shadow on trees to reconstruct a shared sense of life between nature and text. The nested and cyclical nature of the Nushu characters resembles a fable of female mutual support and resistance to traditional norms. In the spiritual kingdom of Nushu, exclusive to women, paper serves as the temple, and the characters are divine words. The characters for "god" and "tree" are the same, and the women of Heyuan Village still maintain the custom of silently praying to ancient trees. If life has a healing remedy, it must be based on friendly connections, much like the co-creation concept of Boguangji, which aims to rediscover the "lost neighborhood" for young people. Just as Nushu signifies female mutual support and awakening, it connects people through shared emotions and friendships. Looking up at art, we see female power. Every girl is a glimmer of light, and together, they can withstand the storms of life.