A new couple show their marriage certificates. Photo: VCG

A picture of two men in South China holding marriage certificates in the lobby of the local civil affairs bureau has gone viral on social media and has been criticized by the bureau in charge of registering marriages as disrupting social order.  

The photo sparked a huge discussion on Chinese social media and a severe reaction from the bureau.

The bureau published a statement on Tuesday saying it has contacted the men, asking them to delete the photo and criticizing their behavior. After the photo went viral on social media, many netizens asked if men could have same sex marriages at the bureau.

Netizens condemned the statement from the bureau in Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which also said that this is an allegedly fake wedding photo.

An official from the bureau surnamed Huang said that the photo was a prank by the two men, who had been married at a registry with their respective wives, and that the photo affects the bureau's image and disrupts public order as well as good social customs, Jiemian News reported.

According to Huang, one of the two men in the photo, surnamed Pan, went to the civil affairs bureau to register for marriage with his girlfriend along with his friend, who also appeared in the photo.

Pan's friend had gotten his marriage certificate earlier that day and accompanied Pan to the bureau to witness Pan's marriage. While waiting in the lobby, Pan and his friend both held their marriage certificates and took the photo.

Huang said that China's current law does not allow same-sex marriage, and taking photos in the lobby is also banned.

The statement and attitude of the official enraged Chinese netizens, who accused the bureau of discriminating against homosexual people.