Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
Trimming the hooves of farm animals may simply be an ordinary job for farmers,
but for many of today's young Chinese, watching it is almost like going to a stress relief therapy. In China, clips about trimming donkey's hooves are going viral for their magically healing power. On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, the videos have gained over 420 million clicks. Some netizens commented that they felt much more relaxed after watching dirty hooves getting tidied up. As pressures from work and life grow, more and more Chinese youths choose to watch videos to de-stress themselves. In addition to the "donkey pedicure," cleaning kitchen cooker hoods and carpets are also quite in now. All these videos have one thing in common: They can give people a sort of sense of order and accomplishment, and viewers don't have to think about anything while watching them. As a result, they have cured many stressful people. But as some psychologists pointed out, watching such videos is only a temporary solution to stress relief. There are many other ways to relax in real life, including outdoor sports, music, and even chatting. And what's more important is to learn to manage stress and vent negative emotions properly.
