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Zoey Zhang

A former combat sports athlete in China secretly keeps a buffalo in his rented home, claiming it motivates him to stay driven.
The unmarried man, surnamed Chen, 30, hails from Foshan, Guangdong province in southern China.
He told the mainland media outlet Xiaoxiang Morning Post that he works part-time as an equestrian and archery coach at a gym after retirement.
Without a stable job, he earns about 6,000 yuan (US$820) a month.
Chen has a puppy called Little Bear and got a buffalo to keep his dog company.
He said it is a four-month-old black calf he bought this January, which he named Bull Demon King.

Chen noted he used to live in a residential complex but was evicted after his landlord found out about the buffalo. He moved into a new flat costing 400 yuan (US$55) a month.
At first, the new landlord was also unaware of the unusual roommate, but eventually agreed to it after seeing videos of Chen and the buffalo going viral online.
Chen said he raises the buffalo purely out of his love for animals.
“I love water buffaloes, they are gentle and adorable,” he said, adding: “When it grows up, I want to take it swimming with me.”
Chen spends more than half his monthly income feeding the buffalo and the dog, leaving little room for savings, but he says it is worth it.
“Bull Demon King is calm and quiet, only mooing softly when hungry, and rarely bothers the neighbours,” he said.
Chen shares his life with the animals on social media, where he has attracted more than 23,000 followers.
Each day, he feeds the buffalo with a metal bowl, eats a bowl of noodles himself, and shares some with his dog.
However, raising a buffalo in the city is not easy.
Chen admits the biggest challenge is the lack of open space and natural grazing areas.
He bathes the buffalo in the bathroom, scrubs it with a brush, and disinfects the room daily.
On warm days, he takes it for walks. When it is cold, he bundles it up in a home-made down jacket.
Chen sees Bull Demon King as both a companion and a source of self-discipline.
He says it reminds him not to be a niuma, or a beast of burden, and to stay ambitious to earn a better life.

Niuma is a term used in China for those who work hard without fair rewards.
On April 2, Chen returned to his rural hometown with his buffalo and dog to celebrate the Ching Ming Festival.
He is currently building a wooden house there and hopes to take his two loyal animal friends back to live in the countryside.
Chen’s story has gone viral on mainland social media, amassing more than 8 million views.
One netizen said: “I would rather see buffalo as pets and companions than watch them work their whole lives only to be slaughtered. All living beings have souls.”
“When the buffalo grows up, will it even fit through the door?” asked another.


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Chen puts a vest on Bull Demon King as his loyal dog, Little Bear, stands nearby. Photo: Baidu

Little Bear the dog and buffalo Bull Demon King play in the bedroom. Photo: Baidu

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‘Adorable’ four-month old black calf called ‘Bull Demon King’ is washed in bathroom, only moos when hungry, rarely disturbs neighbours


‘Adorable’ four-month old black calf called ‘Bull Demon King’ is washed in bathroom, only moos when hungry, rarely disturbs neighbours.


Animals