A young woman in China has surprised many online after choosing to leave city life and return to her hometown to build a unique business. Qin, born in 1995 in Guilin, Guangxi province, started helping her father with his snake-breeding work just two years after finishing university. What began as simple support soon turned into a full-time responsibility, and today she helps manage a large farm with over 60,000 snakes, according to South China Morning Post.
What started as helping her family soon turned into managing a massive farm of over 60,000 venomous snakes. Her work has drawn global attention for its danger, scale, and unusual income source.
Also Read | 'Bhai Humein Apna Jhalmuri Khilao': PM Modi stops for snack break in Bengal | WATCH
Family snake farming business
Qin joined her fatherâs long-running snake breeding business, which had already been operating for several years. As the business grew and became too large for him to manage alone, she gradually took on more responsibility. Over time, she started handling major parts of the operation, including breeding, care of the snakes, and supplying them for medical and research purposes.
60,000 venomous snakesâ value
The farm has more than 50,000 five-step snakes and around 10,000 cobras. These snakes are mainly used for extracting venom, making traditional medicine products, and supporting scientific research. The business also earns money by selling snake meat, dried snake products, and venom, with yearly income crossing one million yuan.
Risks pain and reality of handling snakes
Qin said to Haibao News that, "Five-step snakes have to be force-fed prepared food, and close contact with them still carries significant risks. I am not really afraid of five-step snakes. My father has been raising them since before I was born,"
She further added, "If someone who raises snakes tells you they are not afraid of being bitten, there is only one possibility: they have never been bitten. Especially with the five-step snake, the main symptom after a bite is intense pain. Once you have experienced it, you will remember that pain for a year, or even a lifetime."
She also shares her work online under the name âThe Girl Who Collects Snake Venom,â where she has gained over 22,000 followers. In her videos, she explains snake farming, answers questions like whether she is afraid of being bitten, and openly talks about how painful snakebites can be.
Also Read | Is China building an 'energy fortress' as US actions shake global oil supply? Here's what we know
She also shared with Haibao News that "if someone who raises snakes tells you they are not afraid of being bitten, there is only one possibility: they have never been bitten. Especially with the five-step snake, the main symptom after a bite is intense pain. Once you have experienced it, you will remember that pain for a year, or even a lifetime," she said.
"You might think that getting bitten on the hand only affects the hand, but in reality, your arm, shoulder, and even half your body can be in pain. One of my followers said that after being bitten by a five-step snake, the pain was so unbearable they would rather undergo amputation than experience it again," she added.
Social media reaction and debate
Her story went viral and many praised her bravery, while others expressed shock at the extreme nature of her work and the dangers involved in handling venomous reptiles daily.
Her unusual career choice and high-risk job have attracted a lot of attention and discussion on Chinese social media. Many people are both amazed and shocked by what she does every day.
One user said, "Respect. I feel uncomfortable just seeing snakes. She is incredibly brave and truly deserves to earn this money."
Another commented, "This is not money just anyone can earn." I thought it was just some harmless snakes. Then I looked closer; it is a five-step snake."
