This just-unveiled statue standing tall in China’s central Hubei province is sure to overwhelm you with his daunting appearance and humongous volume.
Jingzhou city in the Hubei province is hosting this God of War. He is 48 meters tall standing on a 10-meter pedestal. He weighs over 1,200 tonnes and is covered by 4,000 strips of bronze.
According to PagesDigital, the statue depicts Guan Yu, a famous and admired warrior who died in the third century, but the colossus has an air of religiousness about it. Thanks to the depiction of him as an immortal in books, operas and films, Guan Yu has attained a God-like status. Even his platform is imposing, designed to resemble a warship, which visitors will soon be able to climb. It is so large that visitors can explore a museum of 8000 square meters inside it.
Han Meilin, famously known for his design of the 2008 Beijing Olympics mascot, designed this colossal sculpture as a symbol to brotherhood, integrity, loyalty and righteousness, according to Asia One.
The God of War is depicted holding an enormous axe called the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. The warrior was made by gluing strips of bronze over the statue, according to CCTV News. According to the Sun, the fearless warrior was once a general serving under a warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty around 200 AD. The real-life character has since been turned into a God who is still worshiped by people in China today.
His legacy is particularly popular in southern China.