Chinese Authorities Point to Exhibition-Style Projects as Cause of Rapid Local Government Debt Increase
Guan Yu Bronze Statue in Jingzhou City, Hubei Province, China, 'The Greatest Swordsman Under Heaven'. / Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The 57-meter-tall giant bronze statue of Guan Yu, criticized as a 'waste of taxpayers' money' by local governments in China, is finally set to be relocated.
According to local Chinese media such as 'Xinhua Net' on the 18th (local time), Jingzhou City in Hubei Province recently announced its decision to relocate the Guan Yu bronze statue.
Previously, as local government debts surged, Chinese authorities demanded rectification of the Guan Yu bronze statue last month, judging that waste caused by so-called 'showcase projects' such as giant sculptures or tourist buildings not only worsened local finances but also erased regional characteristics.
At that time, Chinese authorities pointed out that the statue "damaged the ancient city's charm and historical value" and demanded rectification of the sculpture.
The Guan Yu bronze statue consists of a bronze statue named 'Cheonhajeil Suiseureou' and a wooden hotel. Their respective sizes reach 57 meters and 99.9 meters, and especially the Guan Yu statue is comparable in height to a 20-story building, weighing 1,320 tons, making it one of the largest bronze statues in the world.
This statue, which is similar in height to a 20-story high-rise building, has been criticized for spoiling the city's aesthetics. / Photo by Yonhap News
This bronze statue was erected by Jingzhou City, one of the main settings of the Three Kingdoms, to honor the hero Guan Yu who appears in the Three Kingdoms. It is said that the statue was originally designed as a giant tourist building with the goal of "making it as big as possible."
However, public criticism arose that the statue was excessively large and massive, overwhelming all the scenery of Jingzhou and ruining the city's old-fashioned charm.
In particular, the Guan Yu statue is built on top of a two-story exhibition facility, and public opinion worsened further when it was revealed that the exhibition hall could not support the weight of the statue and was at risk of collapse.
As the controversy grew and the authorities issued a rectification order, Jingzhou City ultimately decided to transport the statue elsewhere. However, it is reported that the method of moving the Guan Yu statue and its new location have not yet been determined.
Jingzhou City stated, "We will establish the best scientific plan for transportation considering national land space, urban history, natural environment, and tourism development," and added, "We will familiarize ourselves with sculpture construction management regulations and strengthen supervision to prevent similar cases from occurring in the future."
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