Owner pays respects to family bull

Li Zhengshu, the owner of a bull who died in 2013 after winning more than 20 formal bullfighting competitions in Guizhou province, offers two bottles of baijiu, or Chinese white liquor, at its grave each year during Tomb Sweeping Day.

In China, bullfighting competitions pit one bull against another. It is a traditional sport for the Miao people in the province.

Bulls are a central part of the local culture. During Tomb Sweeping Day, locals often kill bulls as sacrificial offerings to the dead.

Li, who lives in Wuxiang village in southwestern Guizhou province, said his "king of bulls" was born 28 years ago. He first discovered that the bull had a talent for fighting when it was 2 after it won several fighting competitions for young bulls.

"The bull fought 100 battles with no defeats," said Li, who bought the bull and since 1999, has sent it to formal bullfighting competitions.

The bull took part in more than 20 formal bullfighting competitions since that year and received 12 first-place prizes and many other awards.

The bull has won 130,286 yuan ($20,976), which enabled Li’s family to live a comfortable life. When the bull died in May 2013 of old age, Li and his family held a grand Miao funeral for it.

Often Miao people would sell the bull or slaughter it if it's no longer able to fight.

"We buried the bull and each year we offer sacrifices to it, because it is not only the 'king of bulls' but a family member," said Li.