Showing love by biting the arm is an interesting affective mode adopted by young men of the Yao ethnic group in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province.

When two lovers are in an engagement, the young man will bite the girl's arm to express his loyalty to love. After making acquainted with each other during agricultural production, exchanging in festival-celebrating activities or by singing "Lover's songs", and choosing one's own beloved privately, the Yao youngsters will look for opportunities to coming into contact with their own beloved and expressing their affection.

After fostering affections by contacting each other repeatedly, two lovers will begin to go on a date. When they find that they are congenial to each other and want to ascertain their relationship, the young man must bite the girl's snow-white arm to express his loyalty to love. A saying goes like this: "Biting the arm to make the heart hurt and the love will be loyal". It is important to control the strength when biting. Too slight a bite will be considered by the girl as shallow love, while a severe bite will cause a wound in the girl's arm, which will be teased by people if being seen. For this reason, the young man should bite the girl's arm slowly with moderate strength until she feels it unbearable, so as to avoid being wounded. After the bite which symbolizes engagement, the lovers should inform their respective parents of their marriage plan, and will consult with each other about their wedding ceremony after the plan is agreed upon by their parents.