万花筒 2008-05-01&-05-02 日本性文化节

Reuters

 Some 30,000 visitors packed into this local shrine¹, south of Tokyo, looking for a laugh or something more permanent. In a three-century-old ritual, a band of merry locals carry omikoshi, or portable phallic shrines² in most cases with hopes of increasing their odds³ of fertility. In baby challenged Japan, this is a growing concern. But foreign visitors also flocked to this shrine, many amazed that a full frontal public display of this kind was possible.

 Definitely more liberal in Japan, yeah, no, you wouldn’t find a festival like this in the UK, maybe in secret somewhere, but nothing like this.

 Erotic candies are not for every taste at the festival, but these women are not shying away from sweets. This shrine has become known internationally after foreigners started joining its annual phallic festival a few decades ago. Many of the visitors today are apparently⁴ here to just have fun. There are some who are really serious about making their wishes.

 The wishes are they need babies, but some need boyfriends first.

 I’d really like to have a baby, and before that, I need a boyfriend. I came here hoping these wishes would come true.

 The festival began over 300 years ago after ladies of the night demanded protection from an epidemic⁵ of syphilis. Now the shrine says its god is believed to help protect people from the AIDS virus and to alleviate⁶ the plight⁷ of its sufferers. 
 

Toshi Maeda Reuters, Kawasaki, Japan.

 WORDS IN THE NEWS

 1. omikoshi : noun 神輿

An omikoshi is a portable Shinto shrine. Shinto followers⁸ believe that it serves as the vehicle of a divine spirit in Japan at the time of a parade of deities⁹. Often, the mikoshi resembles a miniature building, with pillars, walls, a roof, a veranda¹⁰ and a railing.

 2. phallic : adj

Something that is phallic is shaped like an erect¹¹ penis. It can also relate to male sexual powers.

 3. erotic : adj

Erotic art shows naked people or sexual acts, and is intended to produce feelings of sexual pleasure.

 4. taste : n-sing

If you have a taste for something, you have a liking¹² or preference for it.

 5. syphilis : noun  梅毒

Syphilis is a serious disease which is passed on through sexual intercourse¹³.

1 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

2 shrines   

圣地，圣坛，神圣场所( shrine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All three structures dated to the third century and were tentatively identified as shrines. 这3座建筑都建于3 世纪，并且初步鉴定为神庙。
• Their palaces and their shrines are tombs. 它们的宫殿和神殿成了墓穴。

3 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

4 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

6 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

7 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

8 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

9 deities   

n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明

参考例句：

• Zeus and Aphrodite were ancient Greek deities. 宙斯和阿佛洛狄是古希腊的神。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Taoist Wang hesitated occasionally about these transactions for fearof offending the deities. 道士也有过犹豫，怕这样会得罪了神。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文

10 veranda   

n.走廊；阳台

参考例句：

• She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
• They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

11 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

12 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

13 intercourse   

n.性交；交流，交往，交际

参考例句：

• The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。
• There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。