If you thought it was impossible to throw shade over the Statue of Liberty, then think again. China has managed such a feat with the unveiling of a colossal new statue of the legendary general, Guan Yu. Standing in the city of Jingzhou in Hubei provence, the god of war statue weighs in at an impressive 1,320 tonnes and is 190ft in height. Designed by Han Meilin, the statue is so vast it even contains a 8,000sqm museum dedicated to Guan Yu inside it.
Guan Yu lived during a restless period in Chinese history known as the Three Kingdoms, and he played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty. The general was later deified, and has come to symbolise brotherhood, integrity, loyalty and righteousness. He is still worshipped by many people in China and the statue is expected to attract thousands of visitors.
The warrior was made by affixing more than 4000 strips of bronze over the statue with an adhesive. Guan Yu is depicted holding an enormous axe, known as the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which he is celebrated for using to cut down his enemies. The only difference being that this one today weighs 150 tonnes! Lets hope he doesn’t drop it.
