A man cuts open the bag after he bought 50 gram gold bars as an investment in Beijing, China, Aug. 5, 2019. Photo by Reuters
The story about a tourist in central China reportedly discovering gold while slaughtering a duck has attracted widespread attention on social media amid soaring gold prices.
In February, the man from Longhui County in Hunan Province said he found several gold particles inside a duck’s stomach.
After conducting a burning test, the particles were believed to be genuine gold, weighing about 10 grams and valued at nearly 12,000 yuan (US$1,800), Chinese media outlet Xinwenfang reported.
The tourist said the ducks were raised free-range near Chenshui River that was once known for gold mining, suggesting the birds may have swallowed mud containing small gold particles, the South China Morning Post reported.
Chenshui River used to be a site where gold was discovered. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the river sparked a local gold rush until the government later banned private gold mining.
The man said his discovery was not entirely unprecedented, noting that others had previously found small amounts of gold in ducks, although none had discovered as much as he did.
Some social media users have questioned the authenticity of the claim.
The Longhui County Natural Resources Bureau told Jiupai News that further verification by a professional institution would be required to confirm whether the particles are indeed gold.
Officials also noted that such findings are possible, adding that villagers recovered more than 10 grams of gold while washing sand in the same river last year.
The incident has gone viral on mainland social media, with the topic racking up over 10 million views.
“I need to know the exact location of this river within a day. I want to raise 1,000 ducks there,” a netizen wrote.
“He is so lucky, especially as gold prices have been rising continuously,” another added.
Gold prices in China currently range from 1,140 to 1,190 yuan per gram. Many families in the country are turning to gold as a form of financial security.
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