The Worship of Genital Organs of Luoba Ethnic Group

Among the Lhobas who call themselves “Apadani,” a festival called “Molang” is celebrated in the twelfth or the first month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. These people inhabit the Xibaxiaqu area of the Lhoyu region. A shaman chooses the date of celebration, on which, all the young men, led by the shaman, dressed up in the village to make a tour in a line to the nearby villages.

When they pass a field, the shaman scatters rice into the field. The young men wave their long swords and hammer at copper trays, while an old man at the end of the line scatters rice powder all the way along. When they pass a field that is to be sowed, the young men with male organs made of bamboo walk into the field and dance production dances. When they go to dance and sing in the square of a village, the villagers serve them with wine warmly. It is a must that the touring group should go over all villages of the tribe. This festival prays for good harvest, because they see the similarities between the reproduction of crops and that of humans.

In some of their communities, we still can see production organs made of wood standing by houses to show a wish for more offspring. As a matter of fact, many nationalities in China used to have this sort of worship; even now, some southern ones still have festivals in which traces of it remain. We can understand the causes of genital worship, if only we know the importance of reproduction.