A mountain resembling the head of a puppy has become a popular tourist spot in Yichang, located in Hubei province, China. Known as “Puppy Mountain,” the natural formation has been around for a while, but its popularity soared after a Valentine’s Day post by Shanghai-based designer Guo Qingshan, according to Fox News.

In the post, Qingshan shared a vacation photo showing the mountain’s shape, which looks like a dog’s head resting by the Yangtze River, with its snout in the water. His post quickly went viral, receiving 120,000 likes within 10 days on Chinese social media platform Weibo, as per the news portal. The hashtag #xiaogoushan, meaning “Puppy Mountain,” also garnered millions of views.

The newfound attention has led many visitors to explore the mountain, making it a must-visit location in the region.

“It was so magical and cute. I was so excited and happy when I discovered it,” Mr Qingshan told Sky News.

“The puppy’s posture is like it’s drinking water, or it’s looking at some fish. It also looks like it’s quietly protecting the Yangtze River,” he said.

The mountain in Yichang’s Zigui County sits along the longest river in China and the third-longest river in the world and can be viewed from an observation deck.

According to Sky News, many have since been travelling to the location to take their own photos, many bringing their dogs with them, and some have posted photos of their dogs to show off a resemblance between them and the mountain.

After Mr Qingshan’s post, many shared photos they had already taken in the same location, saying they had never noticed the mountain’s dog-like features. Others said its form had changed over the years.