In the land where women and grandmas rule

PICTURE for a moment, a world where women reign supreme. Women manage everything, from farming, to bringing home the bacon, and consequently, take ownership of land and property. They are free to choose however many partners they want, without ever having to say 'I do'. As for the men, they accept their secondary role and never challenge the authority of the matriarch.

Sounds too good to be true? Well, such a world exists, in Yunnan, south-west China. And therein lies one of the last few matriarchal societies in the world today - the Mosuo tribe. In this hamlet, women rule households and grandmas literally have the final say.

Essentially, The Kingdom of Women is a tale about how Singaporean Choo Waihong met with the Mosuos, and eventually became a part of their community. Having had enough of legal work and gruelling 15-hour workdays, Ms Choo quit her job as a corporate lawyer to retire early in 2006, travelling around China to get in touch with her ancestral roots.