Leaf love letters of Jingpo people

In Longchuan County where most of the Jingpo ethnic people live, Jingpo young people do not use paper letters when falling in love with each other. Instead, they interestingly use different stuffs to express what they think want to say.

When a Jingpo boy falls in love with a Jingpo girl, he will wrap some roots, garlic, matches, and chili in a tree leave delicately, and give the "package" to the girl. Different things symbolise different meaning traditionally and tacitly. For example, roots symbolise "I miss you"; garlic means "asking the girl to think about the romantic involvement"; chili stands for "fierce love"; match represents "the boy is resolute"; and leave implies "I have many to tell you".

When the girl receives the "package", she will understand what the boy is going to express. If she agrees, she will return it to the boy directly; if she rejects, she will put some charcoal into it and return it to the boy; and if she needs further consideration, she will put some sorrel leaves into it and give it back to the boy.

When the boys receives the "package" with some sorrel leaves, he will pick two chestnut leaves and organise them together face to face, meaning he is willing/happy to live with the girl. If he wants to establish a family of their own, he will put some corn grains, coarse rice grains, and beans. 

If the girl agrees, she will accept the "package", put some tobaccos in it and return it to the boy; if she disagrees, she will re-organise the chestnut leaves back to back and send it back to the boy.

If she agrees but her parent reject, she will put some mimosas, thistle, and gunpowder, and gives it back; if the boy advises the girl to elope with him, he will put some fern tips--and if the girl agrees, she will put some thatches into it, meaning "Be careful, we run away secretly".