The procession with the buffalo returning to its home village, passing the Wind and Rain Bridge in the Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Buffalo handler with his buffalo getting ready to return to the home village after the match. The buffalo is wearing a blanket to keep him warm on a cold day in January. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Owner petting his buffalo after the match. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

The men from the village celebrate their buffalo's victory. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

The losing buffalo runs away and the winner chases him until the owners manages to catch and restrain him. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Local kids cheering for their buffalo. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Village kids watching the buffalo fights. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Two buffalos locks horns together during the fight. Each bout usually lasts less than a minute, a winner is declared if his opponent runs away. If neither bull runs away after six minutes, the fight is declared a draw and both bulls advance to the next round. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Two buffalos locked together during the match. The winner is decided when his opponent runs away. If neither buffalo submits, then a draw is declared. The majority of fights finish without any injuries and some finish even without contact, as they have been known to run away on sight. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Dong women dressed in their traditional outfits and holding the ribbons that will adorn the buffalo after the match. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Music of drums, cymbals and bamboo flutes (lusheng) is an integral part of every fight. These musicians are waiting for their buffalos turn to fight. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

A village elder climbs the stairs to find the best seat on the morning of the fight. The arena was constructed a few days prior to the event. Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

A Buffalo checks out the arena in Wangdong village a day before the fight. The entrance ceremony of the bullfight is called "stepping ground". Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

A boy with the village flag runs in front of the crowd that is accompanying the buffalo to the arena, where it will attend the first fight of the year. Zhengying village in Guizhou, China.

The villagers accompany the buffalo to the arena, where it will attend the first fight of the year. Zhengying village in Guizhou, China.

The men in the village accompany the buffalo to the arena, where it will attend the first buffalo fight of the year. Zhengying village in Guizhou, China.

A child's drawing of a buffalo on a house in Wangdong village, Guizhou, China.

Kids feeding the buffalo before the buffalo fight in the Qiandongnan village in Guizhou, China.

A farmer washes the village's buffalo in the Huanggang village in Guizhou, China.

A traditional Dong minority village with octagonal pagoda-type drum towers. Villagers gather around the fire in the middle of the tower which burns almost all year round. Huanggang village in Guizhou, China.

The village elders gather around a fire in the buffalo shack on the day the buffalo leaves to the fight. Zhengying village in Guizhou, China.

THE CULT OF KING BULL

The Dong minority in Guizhou province, southwest China believe the bull was sent from heaven to help toil the fields. The animal is a symbol of strength and hard work. Later the bull became a mediator. When conflicts would arise between different villages, rather than fighting amongst themselves, the Dong people would pit the village bulls against each other. Nowadays, bullfighting is commonplace in celebrations, such as the end of the Lunar Year or festivals specific to the Dong ethnic group between January and October.

Bullfighting in China is a custom that dates back as far as the Han dynasty (206BC). However, many people around the world are unaware of the custom and still associate the sport with countries like Spain and those in Latin America. Unlike in these countries, the Dong minority style of bullfighting is not about man versus bull, but bull versus bull. Every village in the Dong Autonomous Prefecture has a bull and bigger villages have several. The bullfights attract thousands of spectators and the bull is held in such high regard that when it dies it has a festival-style funeral and is buried in a tomb on the hills overlooking the village.

My story examines how the Dong minority are able to preserve their culture and pass it on to the next generation, through the bull. It is by learning customs surrounding the bull that the young people in the village become connected to the Dong customs and traditions, ultimately saving their culture.

THE CULT OF KING BULL

More stories by Matjaz Tancic