Woman's Pig Slaughter Plea Draws 10,000 to Chinese Village

When Daidai posted a simple request on social media asking for help slaughtering two pigs at her family farm, she expected maybe a few neighbors to show up. Instead, over 10,000 people descended on her rural Chongqing village over two days, creating traffic jams nearly two miles long.

The January 9th post offered free paozhutang, a communal feast made from freshly slaughtered pork, to anyone willing to help with a traditional pre-Lunar New Year chore. Within 24 hours, the video had 180,000 likes and 140,000 shares, while Daidai's follower count jumped by 1.5 million.

In rural China, slaughtering pigs before the New Year is more than a task. It's a social ritual where families invite loved ones to help butcher, cook, and prepare preserved pork together, turning hard work into celebration.

What started as two pigs quickly became five as crowds kept arriving. Daidai brought in a cooking team to handle the demand, while local officials sent volunteers to manage the crowds and boost cell service for the thousands trying to livestream the event.

Visitors traveled from across China, bringing gifts and jumping in to help prepare food. Many described the experience as reconnecting with a disappearing tradition, something that felt like the Lunar New Year celebrations of their childhood.

The Ripple Effect

The viral moment sparked a movement. Villages in other provinces began organizing their own traditional pig slaughter feasts, with one woman in Hunan province receiving nearly 10,000 sign-ups for an event that may now include 20 pigs instead of two.

Local government embraced the attention, posting over 20 videos promoting the area and declaring January 11th as annual Paozhutang Day. They're hoping to turn a spontaneous viral moment into lasting cultural tourism.

The chaos eventually overwhelmed Daidai's family. After days of hosting with minimal sleep, she tearfully announced she needed to pause and return to normal life. But experts say her genuine desire to help her aging parents struck an emotional chord that money can't buy.

What began as one daughter's simple act of filial devotion reminded millions of Chinese people about the warmth of traditions worth preserving.