A mum and son sparked debate after being seen cosily seating on a portable chair carried by workers to the top of a mountain in China

The incident happened on Sanqing Mountain in Jiangxi province on April 29.

Two men carried the woman and her son on what appeared to be a garden chair toed between two bamboo poles.

The mother seemed happy to take it easy as she held her child in her lap while the two men proceeded to carry her up the stairs of the steep mountain, allegedly going all the way to the summit.

Some joked that she should pay double, while others commented that the grey-haired men looked so old, that the mother and child should have carried them.

According to local media, 'mountain lifting' is a profession indigenous to the Sanqing Mountain.

The bearers often carry visitors or objects to the mountain summit, which is sacred to followers of the Tao religion.

They are said to earn income to support their families through this 'special' profession, where their earnings are based on commissions from the organisers for the rides undertaken.

The woman is said to have generously contributed CNY1,000 (GBP 110) for the ride, which otherwise normally costs around CNY 110 (GBP 12).

While some believed that the mother's ride was only a display of 'laziness and wealth', many praised her for supporting the two men.