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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