A unique trend of touching sheep’s rumps to relieve stress is spreading among young people in China.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), a market in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China recently attracted a crowd of tourists. In front of the visitors, sheep were lined up and tied to ropes. The tourists petted the sheep’s rumps as they walked by, laughing.
Posts on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo frequently suggest visiting markets in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to touch sheep’s rumps.
Tourists who have tried it left reviews saying, “The rumps are firm and soft” and “It’s addictive.”
Professor Zhang Yong of Wuhan University of Science and Technology in China analyzed this trend: “Young people are trying to break free from the constraints of daily life through unconventional means.” However, he added, “Blindly following trends is not desirable,” and “Such behavior shows a lack of respect for animals.”
A shepherd responsible for managing the sheep pointed out that excessive handling of the sheep’s rumps by people can lead to depression in the animals. He added that people seem more focused on relieving their stress than being concerned about the well-being of the sheep.
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