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Taipei (dpa) - A giant wooden sculpture of a penis on display at Taipei's international airport has stirred up controversy among some foreign visitors and flight crew, who have demanded its removal, media reported Tuesday.
The one-metre-long sculpture in the Number 2 Terminal is part of an exhibition of artifacts of the Thou tribe, one of Taiwan's ten tribes. But some foreign visitors and crew find it offensive and have demanded its removal, according to the Liberty Times.
Some foreign crew members and flight attendants refer to the sculpture as "The Thing" and have posted the photo of it on their websites, saying it is an offence to female visitors and flight attendants.
In response, the Taoyuan International Airport wanted to move the sculpture to a quiet corner of the exhibition, but the Thou tribe refused.
The Thou tribe said the sculpture is part of their culture because since ancient times, the Thou tribe has been using the giant wooden penis to tamper the female "mountain god," who can unleash rock and and mudslides.
The Thou tribe said some Japanese also worship penis sculptures as a symbol of fertility, and many Japanese visitors pose for photos with the airport's sculpture.
The airport's authorities are still considering their options, the paper said.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
