China’s ‘Puppy Mountain’ Becomes Viral Tourist Attraction

What started as a casual vacation photo has since turned into a viral sensation. When Shanghai-based designer Guo Qingshan posted a picture of a mountain in his hometown of Yichang, he captioned it “Puppy Mountain.” 

The reason behind the viral sensation was the mountain resting beside the Yangtze River, which bears an uncanny resemblance to a dog’s head, its snout appearing to sip from the water’s edge, resembling a lazy dog with its face in a water bowl. “I was so excited when I noticed it,” Guo said. “It looks like it’s drinking water or watching fish. Some even say it’s quietly guarding the Yangtze River.”

The post took off on Chinese social media, racking up 120,000 likes on Xiaohongshu (RedNote) in just 10 days. On Weibo, the hashtag #xiaogoushan (Chinese for “Puppy Mountain”) attracted millions of views. Dog owners joined in on the fun too, posting photos of their pets to compare their likeness to the mountain.

Tourists soon flocked to Yichang, with many bringing their own dogs to pose in front of the now-famous landmark. “Puppy Mountain, here I am!” one social media user wrote, sharing photos from the site. Another commented, “We all need the eyes to see the beauty in this world.”

Among the visitors was Yang Yang, who lives about an hour and a half away. She brought her 2-year-old poodle, Yang Keyi, for a visit. “I always travel with my dog when I can, so this was the perfect trip,” she said. Puppy Mountain is located in Yichang’s Zigui County and can be viewed from an observation deck overlooking the Yangtze River, which is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world. 

After Guo’s post went viral, many people revisited old photos from the same spot, realizing they had unknowingly captured the canine-shaped peak in the past.“I had been there before but never noticed it,” one person shared. “Now I can’t unsee it!”

Whether it’s a mirage of nature or the internet’s collective imagination running wild, Puppy Mountain has cemented its place as an unexpected but beloved tourist attraction.