The Beihang Lingfeng Scientific Expedition Team Attends a Lecture by Teacher Luo Hongzhong

Then came the main focus of the lecture — an introduction to Monba culture. Using a method that moved from specific examples to broader contexts, Teacher Luo started with the daily life of an ordinary Monba family and expanded to larger-scale communal activities. He began with the detailed specifics of everyday life and broadened to general customs, explaining the daily routines of the Monba people in vivid and thorough detail.

The daily life of the Monba people is busy and simple. Starting in the morning, mothers lead their families in labor, while fathers do not need to work. After breakfast, the mothers stay at home while the fathers take the family out to the fields. This is roughly the division of labor. During the busy summer farming season, the Monba people place particular importance on dinner, often providing various forms of meat to meet the needs after a day of hard work. In addition to the usual three meals a day, the Monba also have a late-night meal. Their day begins in leisure and ends in exhaustion — such is the daily life of the Monba.

Besides agricultural labor,hunting, as a certain kind of large-scale activity,is also an important part of Monba life.Usually, before starting a hunt, people will go to the hunting grounds to make offerings to the mountain gods,praying for a bountiful catch in the end.

The Monba people hold a deep reverence for the divine. They believe that everything has its own spirit and must be treated with respect. They avoid messing around or taking things from the stove, as that would offend the extremely hygiene-conscious kitchen god. The first bite of food, drink, or meat is not consumed but instead poured onto the ground as a sign of respect to the earth god, praying for a good harvest in the coming year. When drinking water or alcohol, they consistently use the method of three sips per cup, and dip their fingers into the drink to sprinkle a bit towards the sky and the earth, showing reverence to the heavenly and earthly deities... Reverence for the divine, seriousness, and solemnity — this is the devout and simple-hearted Monba people.

The Monba people value cleanliness. Although the farm work they do can be dirty and strenuous,after washing their hands and faces with plant ash,frequently bathing in hot springs,they still maintain their neat and presentable appearance.During the off-season for farming,the elderly often tell stories to the younger generation,Traditional stories of the Monba people、Proverbs are passed down in this way. The Monba people have their own unique method of atonement. Those who have done wrong or feel remorse will carry a stone to the riverbank, express their apologies and regrets to the stone, and then throw it into the river, believing that the stone sinking into the water takes away their guilt. This helps them find self-comfort. Polyandry is also a distinctive custom of the Monba people, and they do not view it as shameful. On the contrary, it is quite common for brothers or friends to share a wife. Such families can live together amicably, creating a harmonious and pleasant family atmosphere, and are respected by their neighbors.

Finally, Teacher Luo Hongzhong inscribed a message in his book *Remote Motuo*, expressing his hopes for the students, and presented it to the Beihang Lingfeng Social Science Research Team, which was very encouraging for everyone.

Teacher Luo Hongzhong isa member of the China Essayists Association and the Tibet Writers Association,and has worked at the Tibet Military Region and the PLA Literature and Art Publishing House. He is the author ofthe long-form documentary prose *Approaching Motuo*,the long-form documentary series of humanistic works *Tales of the Canyon*, *The Sacred Lotus Land*,and *Polar Mystery Canyon*.

Teacher Luo Hongzhong’s lecture gave the students a good understanding of the cultural customs of the Monba people before they engaged in activities in the Monba-inhabited areas of remote Motuo, laying a solid foundation for the smooth progress of subsequent activities. With such support, the students are sure to handle the upcoming activities more skillfully.