A man who has saved dozens of people over the years from drowning has been hailed as the "most beautiful ferryman" in Hunan province.

Tang Shiguo, 61, is a ferryman on the Xiangjiang River at Guiyang town in Hengyang. Over the past 35 years, he has rescued 24 people from drowning.

"My goal is to see every visitor to the river remain safe and sound," Tang said. "I carry boat passengers safely and guarantee the safety of swimmers."

Drowning accidents do happen on the river from time to time due to the increase in number of swimmers and tourists. To hold on to his commitment, Tang has lived in a cottage right by the river for years, although his sons ask him to move with them to city.

[Video by Liu Weiyu]