Ignorant martial artist gets into FIGHT with monkeys after harassing them during mountain trip
MOUNT EMAI, CHINA: A Chinese kung fu martial artist didn't realize his fighting prowess would be tested before coming face to face with some monkeys while on vacation. The man, known as free fighter Xie, engaged in combat with a tenacious Tibetan macaque during a trip to Mount Emei in the Sichuan Province of southwest China.
Some social media users were incensed after seeing the video of their battle and claimed he should have avoided the aggressive monkeys. Others who have been to the mountain felt it was just retaliation for the monkeys' habit of ambushing tourists to steal their food. Xie attempted to pet one of the macaques, which sparked the combat.
READ MORE
Boy, 5, plunges to his death after gang of monkeys chase him off roof
Why did the monkeys attack Xie?
In the footage, the monkey attacks Xei as soon as he touches it. He responds with a strike and leans over the railing to land additional blows. While he is distracted, the second macaque jumps in to protect his friend, which the martial artist repels with a barrage of air punches. Tourists recorded the bizarre duel as they observed it in apparent shock and later posted the pictures on social media.
What did Xie say?
In reaction to the online attention, Xie also posted a video of the altercation on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, a few days later. He claimed to practice free fighting, so he instinctively drifted back when the monkey slipped in a strike. He stated, "Of course, I held back. After all, they are protected animals. I have to let them go, I just wanted to scare them off. Certainly, this kind of behavior is definitely wrong, so please don't imitate it."
Officials urged the public to avoid approaching the primates. The internet's reaction was more in favor of the fighter than what was anticipated because the same macaque monkeys in the region are notorious for attacking and surrounding tourists for their food, says Knewz. A user wrote, "After all these years, someone finally stood up to the monkeys." Another user wrote, "He has done things that countless people want to do but do not dare."
'Tibetan macaques are extremely violent'
Mount Emei in Sichuan Province is one of the four holy Buddhist mountains in China and is well known for its temples. It is also one of the few locations left where endangered Tibetan Macaques still exist. Macaques are omnivores, and their natural diet consists of fruit, seeds, and invertebrates, says photographer Hugh Lansdown. They can be extremely affectionate with one another, but they can also be extremely violent and their life span is over 20 years.