Luohan ban, or the arhat troupe, in Yiwu, originated during the reign of Emperor Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and reached its peak during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). According to folklore, the patriotic Ming general, Qi Jiguang, recruited 3,000 Yiwu soldiers to fight against Japanese aggression, and carried out military training for a long time after the war. It became a longstanding tradition and the origin of luohan ban in Yiwu.

In the past, luohan ban were invited to perform or compete at many festive and social occasions, such as temple fairs and celebrations.

The troupes mainly stage performances such as marching in formation, fork rolling, boxing, knife and stick skills, and human pyramids. Generally speaking, the show can be divided into two categories. One is "walking in lineup". Dozens or hundreds of people carry various instruments, and as they walk together, display various lineups, such as long snake, butterfly, plum flower and 18 arhats. Another is die luohan, or arhat pyramid, which is performed after the walking in lineup and is the most attractive part of the show. There are also many styles of die luohan, such as lipai fang, shutingge, guanyin zuodian and guanyin duchuan. They have specific arrangements featuring their own characteristics and required skills.

There used to be more than 10 luohan ban in Yiwu, including the one in Xinting village in Suxi town, Rufu village in Niansanli sub-district and Baliqiaotou village in Dachen town. In the 1950s and 1960s, the number of luoban ban in Yiwu decreased. During the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), no luohan ban could be found. In the mid-1980s, the folk art was restored to its former glory thanks to governmental support. In 1992, five luohan ban competed at Yiwu Middle School, marking the revitalization of the art. In 1994, Yiwu luohan ban was invited to the Jinhua Ham Cultural Exposition and shown in a TV play.

As society has developed, changes in luohan ban have taken place imperceptibly. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, luohan ban were performed for religious rituals, precaution against burglars and confrontation with other villages. The members of luohan ban did physical labor during the day and military training at night. After 1949, it became a fitness activity and entertainment integrating competition, martial arts and performance.