ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a holistic picture of the laotong practice between the Zhuang and the Nung, Tay by analyzing its triggers, purpose, rituals, naming practices and mutual benefits, along with the ritual of the Tao and the practices regarding marriage, funerals and housewarming. It discusses the triggers for laotong. Triggers can be divided into two types: one is the free will of the parties themselves and another is the third party. The chapter deals with the ritual involved when a laotong relation is formed. The information concerning laotong's ritual in China is hardly to be found. Laotongs value one another's attendance to the weddings and funerals of each other and their children. According to longbang Town's Huang X, young people today dislike a laotong relationship, but prefer a friendship. One of the most important reasons is that young people dislike the traditional obligations generated by a laotong relationship, which includes interactions upon weddings, funerals.
