Shanghai Daily news

It is not generally known that bullfighting, usually considered part of Spanish culture, is also a traditional folk ``art'' in China.
Shanghai audiences will have a rare chance to experience traditional Chinese bullfighting over the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday when 32 yellow bulls aged between two to six years old -- with the heaviest weighing as much as 800 kilograms -- will shake the ground at the city's Peace Park.
Chinese bullfighting goes back to ancient times and was popular in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces.
The difference between Chinese and Spanish bullfighting is that, in China, the fight is between two bulls and not, as is the Spanish custom, a contest to the death between a bull and a matador.
The Chinese folk activity was not only for the spectacle it provided but was also an expression of people's respect for, and even worship of, the bull which was regarded as an animal crucial for a successful crop harvest.
It was also considered to be a good way to inspire people and give them a feeling of triumph and a sense of achievement.
The outcome of each contest was uncertain and, at the same time, involved no blood-thirstiness which suits the Chinese temperament.
The bulls in the coming contests will be divided into two groups, the Red and the Yellow. Members of the audience at the New Year bullfights will be encouraged to guess which side will win the final contest. As well as the bullfights, programs showcasing other folk customs, including traditional Chinese cock-fighting, will also be performed throughout the holidays.

Date: February 9-15, 10am, 2pm, 4pm, 7:30pm; February 16-23, 2pm, 4pm, 7:30pm
Address: Peace Park, 891 Tianbao Rd
Tickets: 30-50 yuan
Tel: 6272-7912