My LaoTong

Are you a woman with a LaoTong in your life?

A LaoTong is a woman with whom you share a sacred bond (often with a secret language, known in Chinese as Nu Shu). You may only have one LaoTong throughout your entire life, and she is your sister of the heart, which can never be broken. Better than a real sister, because you are matched by astrological signs to benefit each others lives, and the bond is more prolific.

For the day before Valentine's day, I am expressing my eternal love for my one and only LaoTong, Dani Quinn.


The Chinese also express women's social groups - LaoTang. The best way to describe a LaoTang is that it is a group of women who are in the same marital status at the same time (ie, single women, married women, widows - but not divorced women, as that was not allowed when this social order formed in China). If you're single and marry, you will dissolve your LaoTang bonds, and the single women will no longer be your sisters. You may then join a LaoTang of married women, whose friendships will again be thrown away.

That is today's Chinese culture lesson. Hearts and love.