The Tai Gou Jie Festival, or "Dog-Carrying Festival," is held annually in the seventh month of the lunar calendar in Jiaobang Village, Jianhe County, Guizhou Province, in southwestern China. Local residents of the Miao ethnic group select a dog, dress it in traditional clothing, and carry it through the village on a bamboo litter, expressing gratitude to the animals as sacred saviors. The tradition was recognized as local intangible cultural heritage in 2015.
During the festival, one dog is chosen — traditionally a white female, and nowadays also adult males or local dogs of the Xiasi breed. The animal is adorned with a handmade tiger hat and a silver collar, after which a procession led by a ritual priest reciting ancient texts circles the village and the fields. Participants perform drum dances and conduct rites invoking rain and a bountiful harvest.
The roots of the custom go back to ancient legends. One of them tells of a severe drought that threatened to destroy the crops. In a dream, a deity appeared to an elder and ordered prayers to be offered together with a dog — after the ritual, rain fell and the harvest was saved. Another story links dogs to the search for water for the Miao ancestors in times of drought. These tales are passed down through ancient songs and help preserve respect for the animals.
For the Miao people, dogs are not merely companions but heroes and guardians who for centuries helped with hunting, protection, and survival. The festival strengthens the bond between generations: children and young people learn to value life and harmony with nature. Jiaobang Village has earned the nickname "China's Village of Gratitude."
Unlike other Chinese festivals where dogs are sometimes eaten, here the animals are elevated and protected. The tradition highlights the unique role of dogs in Miao culture and recalls the deep interconnection between humans and animals in everyday life.
The festival shows how ancient customs continue to shape the modern attitude toward pets as equal partners in the human world.
