Scenery of Mabian County in Sichuan Province Photo: VCG

Following the widely discussed cash incentive initiative launched by Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, which offered a 500,000-yuan ($73,850) top prize, Mabian Yi Autonomous County in Sichuan Province has unveiled a novel tourism promotion campaign, offering creators up to five head of cattle as the grand prize for promotional video clips.

The official reward rules stipulate that eligible videos posted online entitle creators to one pig for 1,000 likes, one sheep for 10,000 likes, and one head of cattle for 100,000 likes. Additional tiered rewards featuring different combinations of pigs, sheep, and cattle are available for other like-count milestones. The initiative's top prize includes five head of cattle for videos exceeding one million likes.

The rules also specify that each head of cattle is worth approximately 20,000 yuan, each sheep about 3,000 yuan, and each pig about 500 yuan. The total prize pool is 500,000 yuan, with rewards distributed on a first-come, first-served basis upon application and review, until the funds are exhausted, according to the rules.

The open call imposes no restrictions on shooting content, requiring only that creators produce videos promoting Mabian's cultural and tourism resources. All submissions must be posted with the designated hashtag.

The unique livestock-based reward program has sparked online discussion. Many netizens expressed their willingness to participate, with one commenting, "I missed the Xizang one, but I'm definitely giving Mabian's initiative a try." Meanwhile, some have questioned the appeal of the county's rewards, arguing that cash prizes are far more attractive.

An official from Mabian County was quoted by domestic media outlet Cover News as saying that offering cattle, sheep, and pigs as rewards is rooted in local ethnic cultural traditions and tied to the county's industries. Winners can choose to receive the live animals or sell them through a unified channel. "These are tangible rewards with no strings attached for recipients," the official said.

The initiative has gained online popularity within two days of its release, the official added, noting that numerous netizens have already posted promotional videos on major online social media platforms, though no reward applications have been submitted so far.

Local authorities in Xizang launched a similar tourism incentive initiative on June 7, offering a one-time 500,000-yuan cash prize for creators whose videos promoting the region attract over 5 million likes and become viral cultural phenomena. The Xizang Daily reported that a content creator recently won the top award after a short video documenting his over 2,200-kilometer road trip to Lhasa by taxi went viral online.


Global Times