Yang'asha Statue
Record: 66 m
Statue of legendary Miao beauty built to promote local tourism
By Li Yan (People's Daily Online)
A giant statue of Yang'asha, the Goddess of Beauty of the Miao ethnic group, is near completion in Jianhe County, Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou province. At 88 meters high, the statue will be the tallest of its kind in China. It will serve to promote culture and tourism in the county.
The story of Yang'asha is widely known in Jianhe County. In 2008, Yang'asha was included on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
People.cn
See incredible pictures of a giant statue of the Goddess of Beauty being built in China
The landscape of Guizhou, a province in the southwest part of China will soon have a new addition. A giant, silver statue of the Goddess of Beauty is being built in Jianhe county. The 88-metre-high statue depicts Yang’asha, a deity worshipped by the Miao, a local ethnic group. According to the People’s Daily, upon completion, the statue will be the tallest in China.
The Miao are one of 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognised by China, though many Miao are self-designated into further sub-cultures and linguistic groups. Yang’asha is a legendary beautiful woman worshipped by many Miao people because she fought for her love. The statue depicts Yang’asha with a serene facial expression and wearing traditional Miao garments, including the iconic horned silver headdress worn by many Miao women.
The Yang’asha statue is the latest in a string of giant sculptures being built around China, including an enormous statue of the god Guan Yu unveiled in Hubei last year and a giant statue of Mao Zedong that was erected and subsequently torn down in Henan. Local authorities hope that the Yang’asha statue will draw more tourists to secluded Guizhou province.
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