Giant, Gold Statue of Mao Appears on Chinese Countryside

A giant statue of Communist leader Mao Zedong has been erected at the same Chinese province where his policies led to famine in the 1950s.

The 37-metre-high statue is painted gold and it sits on farmland in Tongxu county, Henan Province. The project was made possible by local businessmen who paid nearly 3 million Yuan or $460,000.

Despite its sensitive location, The People’s Daily newspaper reports that some local villagers also donated money to fund its construction, which is ongoing.

Still, the statue drew much criticism online for its location and the large sum of money used to construct it.

Only a crane used to build the statue towers over Mao as he looks upon the countryside, while in a sitting position.

Mao’s leadership is seen by many as a bloody and repressive era in Chinese history. His policies such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution saw the deaths of millions through famine and political purges.

Nonetheless, many still view him as a revered figure including President Xi Jinping.

In the last two years of his presidency, Xi has gained notoriety for ushering in what many analysts are calling one of the biggest suppressions of free speech in recent Chinese history.

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