Local Dong villagers in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held the annual "cow-hanging" ceremony July 9 to pray for good weather, bumper harvest, peace and prosperity. The ceremony, which is hundreds of years old, involves choosing a tree in the village, and then hoisting a cow up it until the animal is hanged. The ceremony, which is held on June 2 of the traditional Chinese calendar, is also a warning to villagers to abide by village rules and regulations. Villagers prepare for the ceremony by roping the cow's neck.