GUIZHOU, China — In some countries, the summer solstice is celebrated with lights. However, Guizhou, a southern province in China, celebrates the solstice with a lychee and dog meat festival. The Yulin festival provokes a slew of media criticism from animal rights activists.
Dog meat is considered a delicacy in Guizhou. According to activists, about 10,000 dogs are killed for the festival. In the eyes of activists, the problem is evident. The rights of animals clashes with cultural tradition. For hundreds of years, the solstice has been celebrated with the consumption of dog meat. Dog meat is not only seen as a delicacy, festival goers believe that dog meat is detoxifying.
This year, the festival was bombarded by criticism on social media. One of the most visually disturbing critiques was an image of a puppy crying blood in protest of the consumption of dog meat. The picture was accompanied with a caption that read, “Please don’t eat us. We’re your friends.” This image was shared tens of thousands of times on social media sites and was even endorsed by celebrities.
The controversy surrounding the consumption of dog meat stems back to the cultural revolution’s ban on owning dogs as pets. Presently, however, dog ownership has become popular in the quickly expanding middle class. This change has caused many citizens to question the difference between pet and food.
This year’s protests were not the first of its kind. Backlash against this festival began in 2011 when China banned a 600-year-old dog meat festival after an onslaught of social media protests. When the Yulin festival experienced negative social media attention, the government denied its existence.
In early June, the Yulin Municipal People’s Government claimed “the so-called summer solstice lychee dog meat festival does not exist.” Furthermore, the government stated that “neither [the]Yulin government nor social organizations have ever held such activities.” This blunt denial angered many activists. Guizhou held its festival amid accusations of animal cruelty by Animal Asia, a prominent animal rights group in China.
The lack of clarity provided by the government about the legality of the event confuses activists who are trying to find explanations for the continuation of the festival. Zhao Yangsu, a 59-year-old woman who has spent her retirement money fostering dogs, told CNN, “I have no hope that these people will change and our ability to make change is not significant enough…we have to go through the government to create some laws to protect these animals, but there are no laws and our ability to do anything is insignificant.”
Guizhou represents just a small portion of the same story happening all over China. As many traditionalists try to stick to their upbringings, they face an unprecedented amount of challengers as the modernization of China continues.
– Elena Lopez
Sources: CNN 1, CNN 2, Economist, TIME 1, TIME 2
Photo: International Business Times