Photo of icy school boy goes viral

A photo showing a boy with icy hair in a classroom in Zhaotong, Yunnan Province went viral on social media Tuesday after he trekked nearly 5km in the snow, People's Daily reported.

In the photo, the boy's hair has turned icy white, as well as his eyebrows and eyelashes, and his face is red.

The boy studies in grade three at a primary school in Ludian County. As the boy's home is 4.5 kilometers away from school, it takes him more than one hour to get to school on foot.

The temperature was -9 degrees Celsius that morning, which was also the first day of the school's final exams. 

The picture was captured by his teacher at 8:50am on Monday and sent to the headmaster, surnamed Fu, who later posted it online.

Fu said school officials had visited the boy's home before because his parents worked in another place and he had several brothers and sisters at home.

The school provides breakfast for the kids at school but heating facilities were not available in classrooms.

The photo soon caught the attention of Chinese netizens who encouraged the boy online. 

One web user commented, "This photo makes my heart ache. Study hard, cute boy. Knowledge can change fate!" Another said, "Boy, the hardships you suffer now will light your way in the future!"