On Aug. 14, a group of people from the Miao ethnic group in Guizhou's Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture held a rather unique activity. The event featured villagers parading a dog around on a chair, and was intended to demonstrate participants' belief in the equality of all beings.

The "dog-carrying" folk event aims to show gratitude to dogs for helping the Miao people's ancestors locate a source of water. The event is held annually on July 12, in accordance with the Chinese lunar calendar. On that day, a dog is dressed up and carried around town on a wooden chair. People gather along the streets to show their gratitude to the dog and pray for favorable weather and a good harvest in the next year. Photos capture the joy of villagers participating in the event.

However, after being released on Aug. 16, photos from the most recent dog-carrying event have generated an outcry from angry netizens. Many have critized the activity for mistreating the very dog that it intends to honor, as a thick chain is tied around the dog's neck and it is stuck into a small chair. Others support the event and respect the folk customs. Some netizens mentioned the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, comparing the hugely differing treatment of dogs on the two occasions. Others commented from the perspective of the dog, writing messages such as: “Let me down!” And: “It scares me!” Additionally, some netizens insist that the event has just been sensationalized in order to attract public attention.