3-year-old monk, a hit on social networks

An adorable three-year-old boy who likes to dress up as a monk has gone viral online across China.

With a shaved head, a beaming smile and a slow walk, Chen Zhaoyu from Wenling City in east China's Zhejiang Province has won the hearts of millions of admirers on social media.

While still an amateur, the child's mother is planning to send him to a Buddhist monastery to become a disciple.

Yan Yiping, 35, told MailOnline that she dressed her son as a monk because of her preference for the cartoon, Ikkyu, from the famous Japanese 80s 'Ikkyu-san'.

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This cartoon follows a child monk in Japan who relied on his mind to solve various problems while staying at Ankokuji Temple. At the time, mainland Chinese television translated and broadcast about 100 episodes, which were a big hit among children.

"Ikkyu-san is a big part of my childhood memory," Yan told MailOnline. "Ikkyu was my hero, I adore him," she said./oranews