Photos of a woman undressing by Yamdrok Lake in Tibet have sparked controversy on China's social media platforms as some netizens have accused her of disrespecting local culture, China Tibet Online reported.

Photos of a woman undressing by Yamdrok Lake in Tibet. [Photo/weibo.com]

The pictures were first posted by a micro-blogger named "YouchumDolkar" on her Sina Weibo, China's twitter-like platform, on April 11, as she criticized the model and photographer in question of being uncivilized and immoral.

YouchumDolkar's post was a snapshot of a photographer's latest update on China's popular messaging app Wechat. Yu Feixiong, who shot the controversial picture, is a professional photographer for Tibetan tourists and even runs an online store to boost his business.

The controversial photos went viral online and have sparked a heated debate on the country's social media. Some say the act shows disrespect to Tibetan culture while others argue that society should be more open-minded towards art.

Yamdrok Lake is considered to be one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet. News of plans to launch cruising activities around the lake in 2012 met a strong backlash online, and the project was cancelled.

Rumor has it the photographer, accused of disrespecting local customs, has violated the Law of Punishment for Public Security and Administration and is faced with a 10-day detention. But local police have denied the act, according to Legal Evening News.

A tourist was also detained for nude bike riding on a stretch of national road in China's Tibet Autonomous Region in 2014.