Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang

From Our Diary presents Bullfighting in the Gejia 革家 village of Matang: Guizhou Province

owner with his bull Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province

Chinese bull fighting in Matang is a huge and colourful event. The day we visited Matang was a big day for the village. It was the culmination of the five-day annual bullfighting festival, an event held to commemorate the day that rebel leader Zhang Xiumei met his end at the hands of the Imperial troops in August 1873.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang man with his bull Chinese Bull
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Bullfighting in China isn’t as bloody as in Spain

Luckily, bullfighting in China isn’t as bloody as in Spain: basically, two buffalo are incited to fight each other by crashing their heads together, until one decides he has had enough and runs away. However, the bulls do get injured and sometimes fatally and that is why we decided to make our exit before that actual fighting got underway.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

The Matang festival is a pretty big event and loads of buses from Kaili and all the  nearby towns and villages had already begun arriving when we got to the arena, a huge sand- pit about 2 kilometres from the village.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang: Get there early

People were getting there early to obtain a good place and with 2 hours to go before the first fight, space was already at a premium. Whole clans of Miao and Gejia sat precariously on the high slopes, overlooking the bullfighting arena.

Watching chinese bull fighting Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Gejia spectators 革家人

Meanwhile, the owners of the star buffalos were proudly displaying their huge, well-groomed, shiny beasts to impress the onlookers.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

I’ve always looked upon water buffalo as quite docile creatures, but having seen some of these monsters and their aggressive manners, I have come to change my mind.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang: Heavy drinking and gambling

Heavy drinking and gambling is part and parcel of any local minority event and this was no exception: shady- looking types with Al Capone hats and cigarettes dangling from the corners of their mouths stood near the buffalo, waving big wads of hundred Yuan notes.

expetant crowds Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Many of the punters had that glazed look of one glass (or bottle) of Baijiu (Rice wine) too many. Thieves and pickpockets were also out for a day of rich pickings. However, one unfortunate thief was discovered and pursued by an angry mob who cornered him and gave him a pretty heavy thrashing.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

The timely intervention of the truncheon- wielding Military Police spared the terrified pickpocket any further damage by appearing from nowhere to separate the culprit from his assailants; their truncheons indiscriminately whacking anything in the way.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang: Dog Hot Pot

Though the fighting buffalo were well looked-after and pampered, the Gejia don’t seem to hold their dogs in equally high esteem. When it came to food, it was dog, dog and more dog.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 
dog meat guizhou
Dog Hot Pot

Fried, grilled and most popular in a hot pot, dog meat was everywhere. Live animals, waiting to have their throats slit, huddled pathetically together near the pools of blood from their departed brothers and sisters, aware of the fate that was about to befall them.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 
dog hot pot guizhou
Dog Hot Pot

Dead dogs lined the road side, under the blaze of blow torches blasting their skin off, and cauldrons full of dog parts bubbled away with the smell of chillies and Sichuan pepper.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang  dog meat guizhou
Dog Hot Pot

Hoards of people gathered around the improvised hot pots, gnawing away contentedly on bits of canine flesh. Not really a place for a dog-loving vegetarian like myself. 

Practicalities:

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Coming and Going

resting bull Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Matang is about an hour from Kaili’s local bus station (not the main bus station). Buses don’t go directly to the village, but drop you at a turn- off from where it is a two- kilometre walk. Any of the regular buses going to Chong’an or Huangping will drop you there. When returning, just get back to the main road and flag down any passing bus.

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Accommodation:

Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛: Guizhou Province
Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Villagers were putting the final touches to a wooden guesthouse near the entrance. Some fancy toilet buildings were already standing.

Food:

Dog hot pot.

dog hot pot guizhou
What to eat at Chinese Bull Fighting in Matang 麻塘革家寨的斗牛

Author: Adam

My name is Adam. I have a degree in Chinese History from SOAS and a masters in International Politics focused on China from the same university. I have travelled around China 9 times and since 2000 I have travelled every year for two months. I guess I kind of like the place!

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