An animal rights group yesterday called for an end to the “divine pig” contest held annually at New Taipei City’s (新北市) Sansia Tsushih Temple (三峽祖師廟), saying the method of raising and slaughtering the pigs was abusive and inhumane.
The annual contest is held on the sixth day of the first month of the Lunar New Year during the temple’s prayer ceremony to celebrate the birthday of Master Chingshui (清水祖師).
An award is given to the owner of the heaviest pig, which is seen as a symbol of future blessings, while the head and some of the body parts of the pig are put on public display during the ceremony.
The Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan said that among the 126 temples dedicated to Master Chingshui in Taiwan, the Sansia Tsushih Temple is the only one that has not put an end to the contest.
The winner of the temple’s “divine pig” contest this year was the owner of a pig that weighed 1,061kg — 10 times the normal weight of a commercially reared pig.
Showing photographs of large pigs being force-fed and confined in pens with so little space that it was difficult for the pigs to even turn their bodies, Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan director Chen Yu-min (陳玉敏) said: “These pigs have become so fat that their whole bodies are sick and paralyzed, so that they are unable to move at all.”
“We are not against religious worship, but we are strongly against the ‘divine pig’ weight contest. And we urge all the remaining temples that insist on holding this kind of contest to stop,” she said.
Some owners said they feed the pigs with good quality food, give them massages and even use fans to keep them cool in summer, but these measures are only to prevent the overweight pigs from dying suddenly and causing financial loss to the owners, Chen said.
The society said that although it had negotiated with the temple’s management a few years ago, the contest was still being held at the temple every year.
The group therefore called on the public to boycott the event as a protest against animal abuse.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS