*** Welcome to piglix ***

Lychee and Dog Meat Festival

Lychee and Dog Meat Festival
玉林荔枝狗肉节
Dog meat hotpot.JPG
A dog meat dish from Yulin, Guangxi with the tail used as decoration.
Status Active
Genre Festival
Begins 21 June
Ends 30 June
Frequency Annually
Location(s) Yulin, Guangxi
Coordinates 22°38′N 110°09′E / 22.633°N 110.150°E / 22.633; 110.150Coordinates: 22°38′N 110°09′E / 22.633°N 110.150°E / 22.633; 110.150
Country China
Inaugurated 21 June 2009 (2009-06-21)
Most recent 21 June 2016 (2016-06-21)
Previous event 2016
Next event 2017

The Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, commonly referred to as Yulin Dog Meat Festival, is an annual celebration held in Yulin, Guangxi, China, during the summer solstice in which festival goers eat dog meat and lychees. The festival spans about ten days during which it is estimated that 10,000–15,000 dogs are consumed. The festival has been criticised by animal welfare supporters.

The tradition of dog meat consumption began over 400 years ago in China. Many believe that dog meat would help ward off the heat felt through the summer months. It wasn't until recent years when the festival in Yulin began.

The festival is celebrated annually in Yulin, Guangxi, China, during the summer solstice in June, by eating dog meat and lychees. About 10,000 to 15,000 dogs are consumed during the 10 days of the festival.This number has decreased to 1000 in 2014. Throughout the 10 days of festivities dogs are paraded in wooden crates and metal cages and are taken to be skinned and cooked for consumption of festival attendants and local residents.

In a 2014 statement released to Xinhua, Yulin's local government denies any official involvement or endorsement of the festival itself, and describes the event as a local custom observed by "a small percentage" of Yulin's residents. They attribute the branding of the event to local businesses and residents.

The local residents and festival organizers claim that the dogs are killed humanely and that "eating dog is no different from eating pork or beef". Campaigners have claimed, however, that the animals are "treated abominably", which is shown by the various photographs that have surfaced of the event. An American witness reported that some of the dogs eaten seem to be stolen household pets, judging by their collars.

An editorial published by the People's Daily expressed the view that while activists understand dogs as "companion animals", neither the Chinese legal system or the current Chinese public moral standards recognize them with this special status. While noting the "duality" of dogs as both companions and food items, the editorial urges restraint in handling the issue and calls mutual understanding from both organizers and activists in reaching a respectful compromise.

An editorial published by Global Times strongly criticized what the writer believed to be the Western obsession over the treatment of dogs, and cited bullfighting as an example of animal cruelty to which the West has turned a blind eye. He further categorised the controversy as a part of a Western campaign against China, and dismissed criticism and protests as "non-noteworthy".


...
Wikipedia

...