Love Fallen in "FengHuoLou"

This so-called "FengHuoLou", literally meaning "flames-putting-out floor", is actually the triangle space formed on the top of a cottage by its flatten thatched roof and sloping thatched sidewalls.

Hani people call such a small space "FengHuoLou" (flames putting-out floor), because it is used to separate the thatched top floor from any means of fires lighted below inside the cottage; avoid its being set on fire by accident.

As it is set on the top of the cottage, people have to climb onto it if it is required; thus, here comes the action called "PaFengHuoLou" (climbing onto the flames-putting-out floor). In old days, when most families were lack of rooms for their children to live in, children had to sleep with their parents at night. They wouldn't sleep alone until they came to their early teens, say, 12-13 years old. Then, their parents would ask them to climb onto the family's "FengHuoLou" and spend their nights in it. In richer families, who could afford to close both the two sloping sidewalls by wood blocks, would open a small window on one side as the door into the floor; other families would close only one sidewall and leave the other one open as the door. In either case, a wooden pillar was supposed to be extending from the door to the earth, for people to climb upon. As well as livestock's forage, thatches stored in "FengHuoLou" are also used as children's bedclothes--it is the best choice for children living in the poor mountainous areas to warm themselves up through cold nights.

To tell you the truth, however, "FengHuoLou" is not only for children to get through nights, but also for them to find their love of life.

In traditional conceptions, Hani boys and girls at their early teen ages should begin to set themselves up at courtship and love. Words like "Boys and girls need match at early teen years" could be found in Hani old songs. This means, it's all right for teenagers to spend nights with those of opposite sex in "FengHuoLou"; their parents wouldn't blame them for that. On the contrary, parents would get really anxious if their children at this age are still lack of any such "FengHuoLou"-companions.

Boys and girls at the beginning of their "FengHuoLou" climbing days usually come up in groups according to their sexes. Before each group goes to sleep together at night, they visit each other, for chatting and singing together. With time going by, if two children, a boy and a girl, are fascinated by each other, they come out of their each group and begin to climb their own "FengHuoLou"(either belongs to the boy's or the girl's family), spending the night together. So, at evenings in Hani village, as the daylight gradually fading away, you can distinguish a child in relationship from those who are not by looking at the window (door) of the "FengHuoLou" he/she lives in; if it is open, then he/she is still alone; otherwise, you'd better quietly walk away without disturbing two young lovers' great time together.

Years later, two children spending nights together would finally get married if all their parents agree with their forming a new family. But if they can't get their parents' permission, they would just break up and each gets married to others, even if the girl has already got pregnant. No matter it is for their own sake, or be separated by their parents, young lovers would always break up in totally peace, without any means of fighting or complaining. 

See, such a small thatched space is burdened of Hani people's marriage and romantic affairs. Unfortunately, "FengHuoLou" is facing the danger of gradually dying out due to the development happening in Hani villages; "Love fallen in 'FengHuoLou'" is helplessly dying out at the same time. Nonetheless, all the "dying-outs" are only the form of love; love itself would never die out, but get on other new forms.  

 (Edit:Ruby)