Yang, who has been taking photographs for 40 years, told China Daily he did not enter the competition with a financial motive, but because he wanted to draw attention to his hometown and its special food.

"Red bean paste ball is a national intangible cultural heritage from Xiangshan which we will make during New Year celebrations and share with our relatives and friends," he said.

"It is something that is a must-have for that festival, it is a very necessary item of food for people from our town."

He said that he knew the scene and exactly what to expect before he went to take the prize-winning shot, which is how he managed to capture such a perfectly timed image.