Fifteen thousand dogs are slaughtered annually at the festival that commemorates a 14th century Ming dynasty military victory. According to Chinese legend, the army of Zhu Yuanzhang killed all of the dogs in Qianxi before battle to abate barking that would otherwise compromise their attack.  

After their victory, the army celebrated by devouring every last slaughtered dog; 600 years later, the tradition was still alive and well.

That is until an onslaught of criticism and pressure for prohibition made its way to the foreground of social media-based discourse. The outrage was spurred greatly by photos of the carnage that surfaced, and the Chinese government was quick to appease.

On-site butchering—that is, killing and immediately cooking the hounds—was vastly accepted at the festival until the '80s, at which point the government banned it.  The practice has crept back into the 3-day festival over the last few years, though, sending dachshund devotees over the edge. 

Historically, eating dog meat was considered medicinal, and keeping dogs as pets was even banned during the Cultural Revolution under Mao Zedong. China’s growing affluent class, however, has since become accustomed to more western traditions of indoor pets, and with that the notion is becoming more and more archaic. Still, amidst calls to ban it altogether, the consumption of both cats and dogs is common and socially acceptable among the masses. 

Those opposed to such bans contest the difference between a pup and a pig. “This is absurd. Why only dogs and cats? How about pigs, cows and sheep," read a poster on the Xhinua news agency website. 

For now, though, it’s only man’s best friend that will be coming off the menu. 

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