China will put up a 1,200 ton statue of ancient warrior
The scaffolding around China's largest statue of Guan Yu is being removed to unveil the towering figure.IMAGE: PEOPLE'S DAILY/FACEBOOK
BY ALICIA TAN SINGAPORE 11 HOURS AGO
The residents of Jinzhou in Henan, China will soon be watched over by the country's largest statue of the beloved Chinese warrior, Guan Yu.
The statue weighs 1,200 tonnes and stands 58m tall, and is said to be the heaviest statue in the world of the fabled general, reported People's Daily.
In 2009, a similar statue was erected in Guan's hometown in the Shanxi province. That one measures 61m tall, including a 19m tall pedestal and is smaller than Jinzhou's.
The Shanxi province statue of Guan Yu.
IMAGE: WEI XINGZHI/IMAGINECHINA/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Most of the lore surrounding Guan talks of his bravery and skills on the battlefield during the country's Three Kingdoms period (200 - 280 A.D).
People's Daily, China
on Thursday
The war general has also been popularised in the classic Chinese novel, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The Chinese continue to worship him like a deity, as many believe that he became a god in his afterlife and will provide blessings of good fortune.
Shrines of Guan are a common sight in traditional Chinese shops and restaurants across China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.