The ceremonial attendants have always been drawn from middle-school boys in the past, because tradition holds it that females are "impure." Not only were women not allowed to go near the Buddha's gilded image, but they were not even allowed to touch his parasol or sedan chair.
禮生過去統一由童子（國中男生）擔任，因為在傳統觀念中，女性是「不潔」的，不但不准親近金身，甚至連娘傘、神轎也不得碰觸。