Pursuing My Husband by the River

I was born in a small town called Daluo on the China-Myanmar border, just two kilometers from Mong La in Myanmar.

During the dry season, I spent every day in the Lancang River, catching fish and shrimp. That's how I became a strong swimmer from a young age.

I like the rainy season here even more than the dry season. One moment the sky is clear for miles; the next, darkness falls. Fat raindrops pound the banana leaves, rustling softly.

Daluo means “a ferry crossing where many ethnic groups live together.” My father is Jingpo and skilled with a pair of sabers. As a young man, he once dreamed of becoming a wandering hero, but the night before he set off to roam the world with his sword, Grandma beat him nearly to death. My mother is Dai, with a clear singing voice and graceful dancing.