Final answer:
The Walking Marriage is a distinctive matrilineal practice of the Mosuo culture in China, characterized by non-cohabitative relationships and a lack of formal marriage contracts, emphasizing women's authority and the absence of paternal obligations. It contrasts with traditional marriages, which usually involve cohabitation, shared economic responsibility, and a clear lineage transfer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Walking Marriage is a unique practice among the Mosuo people, an ethnic minority in China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. Unlike conventional marriages, Walking Marriages do not establish a new household; instead, partners live separately in their maternal homes and only come together at night. Women invite men to visit their private rooms, and the men return to their own homes in the morning. There are no formal marriage contracts, and relationships can be long-term or temporary based on mutual agreement.
This practice emphasizes the matrilineal system of the Mosuo, where heritage and family names pass through the female line. Children remain with their mothers, and biological fathers do not have social or economic responsibilities toward their offspring but often care for their nieces and nephews. Comparatively, in traditional notions of marriage, a couple typically forms a new household and the lineage can be either matrilineal or patrilineal, involving economic and social responsibilities for both parents.
Fictive kinship, another form of cultural bond, can also play a role in Mosuo society. Different from biological kin relationships, fictive kinship involves bonds between individuals who are recognized as family members without a blood relationship, often based on godparent relationships or close family friends. These relationships can have similar social expectations to biological ones, demonstrating the varied understanding of family and marriage across cultures.