Folk Narrative Literature in Chinese Nüshu: An Amazing New Discovery

A unique type of writing used exclusively by local women is found in the mountainous areas of Hunan Province in central China. This form of writing, referred to as Nüshu by the local people, is used for correspondence between the women of the area and for the recording of folk narrative literature. Scholars are currently researching the origins of this form of writing; the present report examines some of its distinctive characteristics and presents the findings of some of the research to date.