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Miracle Chinese pig Zhu Jianqiang that survived 36 days trapped under debris after 2008 Sichuan earthquake dying, says owner
- Zhu Jianqiang means strong-willed pig in Chinese and the name has been adopted by many businesses
- The pig is now ailing after living to the age of 14, or 100 in pig years
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Mandy Zuoin Shanghai
A legendary pig that became a household name in China after surviving 36 days while trapped under debris after the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake is reportedly near the end of its life.
The pig, called Zhu Jianqiang which means strong-willed pig in Chinese, is dying from old age as the country commemorates the 13th anniversary of the magnitude 8 earthquake that left 69,000 people dead and 18,222 missing, according to the Jianchuan Museum in Sichuan province which looks after the animal.
“Since it moved from the debris to the museum in 2008, numerous tourists have visited it every day. What’s really behind the attention is not just a pig, but a collective memory,” the museum said in a Weibo post this week.
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“It is a miracle of life; it is a symbol of strong will,” the museum said.
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The pig is now 14 years old, equivalent to 100 in pig years.
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