A legendary and tragic ancient custom from Miao communities in China saw unmarried girls chosen as brides for a 'Cave God'. These young women were sent to caves where they would fast until death.

In a tragic and mysterious ancient custom in China, unmarried girls were chosen as brides by a legendary “Cave God” and sent to live in caves, where they would fast to death as a form of sacrifice. The practice, known as Luo Hua Dong Nv is a folk legend from the Miao communities in Xiangxi, located in western Hunan province in southern China. It is an ancient practice which no longer exists and its origins are unclear. The custom has been described as a “marriage between humans and deities” and...