Joy and sorrow of monkey trainers

Yang Lingui plays with his monkey in Xinye county, Henan province, Oct 13, 2014. [Photo/CFP]

Bao Qingshan, 47, who is a monkey according to Chinese Zodiac, has been training monkeys and performing with them for more than 30 years. But he finds the job increasingly difficult to pursue these days.

Bao, his brother Bao Fengshan and four other trainers from Xinye county, Henan province, which is famous for its monkey tricks, were detained for holding a show on a street in Mudanjiang city, Heilongjiang province. The police said the six had no "wild animal transportation license".

In Baowan village, Bao's hometown, more than 1,000 people earn their living by holding money shows around the country. They travel around China for most part of the year and only return for autumn harvest and Spring Festival.

They train these animals and display tricks for money. Yang Lingui, 58, also a trainer, said they can make more than 100 yuan a day.

"We earn much more doing this than farming, which is why almost every household is in this profession." This makes their village financially better off than neighboring villages.