TAITUNG (TVBS News) — Photos of an ox wearing handmade rope shoes have been shared online, receiving over 50,000 likes. The ox, which belongs to Chen Jin-fa (陳金發), a farmer in Taitung City (台東市), is used to pull Chen's cart from Fugang (富岡) to his field near Chihhang Air Base (志航基地) every morning.
A social media post in a Facebook group highlighted the striking contrast between Chen's bright red ox cart and modern vehicles on Provincial Highway 11 (台11線) around 7 a.m. Chen insists on using traditional farming methods, drawing attention from locals and online communities to take photos of him and his ox.
Chen explained that he sews the shoes himself to protect the ox's hooves from the asphalt, not to prevent burns. He said the ox wears shoes regardless of the season, and he would not take the ox out at noon in summer when the road is scorching.
The Central News Agency reported that Chen dislikes modern machinery and prefers using his ox, which he bought eight years ago for NT$120,000. This traditional farming method has become rare in Taiwan, where mechanized farming has taken over.
