China: Braut ohne Bräutigam

Kunming, the capital of the Chinese province of Yunnan, is a vibrant metropolis with seven million inhabitants. A melting pot of different cultures. Nowhere else in the country do so many different tribes and ethnic minorities come together. For centuries, they lived dispersed in China's most pristine, "wildest" province - on its mountains, which can reach up to 3,000 meters, and in remote valleys. The young generation has to master the balancing act between the traditional and modern worlds - which it does surprisingly well. 25-year-old Meiyun is a modern resident of Kunming. Yet she has so far failed to find a suitable partner. In 21st century China, this is a general problem among young urbanites. Their daily lives are stressful. Priority is often given to getting ahead in one's job. Work eats life - spare time is a luxury. In addition to earning her life, Meiyun must tackle another kind of pressure. She comes from the Hani mountain tribe, an ethnic minority where girls are traditionally married off at an early age. Meiyung's parents expect her to find a suitable groom - and soon. Her mother has already finished sewing a wedding dress. One of the few opportunities to meet potential partners is the annual Kuzhazha festival, for which Meiyun travels back to her traditional hometown. 360° - GEO Reportage accompanied Meiyun. More and more, the younger generations are drawn to the big city because there is more money to be earned. This is also the case for 25-year-old Meiyun from the Hani tribe. She buys silver jewelry from various tribes at the capital's markets - and later resells it from home via the Internet. This enables her to support her family financially and afford an apartment, which she shares with two other young women and their children. The only thing she hasn't found so far is a suitable partner. A flaw in the eyes of her parents and her tribe. She wants to visit her family for the annual Kuzhazha festival, knowing full well that she will be expected to take a look at the young Hani men. She travels several hundred kilometers over increasingly bumpy roads to the impassable mountains on the south bank of the Red River, where her tribe makes its home. Will Meiyun succeed with her mission and be able to realize her parents' dream of marrying soon? Or has she already become too much of a city girl?