Nüshu... is a syllabic script derived from Chinese characters that was used by ethnic Yao women

Nüshu is phonetic, with each of its approximately 600–700 characters representing a syllable.

Typically a group of three or four young, non-related women would pledge friendship by singing songs and writing letters in Nüshu to each other.

It is not known when Nüshu came into being, but it seems to have reached its peak during the latter part of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Yang Huanyi, an inhabitant of Jiangyong and the last person proficient in this writing system, died on 20 September 2004, at the age of 98.[17][1] He Yanxin, the last natural inheritor of Nüshu, died on 23 October 2025, at the age of 86.[18]

To preserve Nüshu as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, a Nüshu museum was established in 2002 and "Nüshu transmitters" were created in 2003.[11] The language and locale has also attracted foreign investment for infrastructure surrounding possible tourist sites