A gold and jade statue of Mao Zedong worth more than 100 million yuan was unveiled on Friday, in the latest example of China’s indecision over how to commemorate its founding father’s 120th anniversary.
The statue, 80 cm tall but weighing more than 50 kilograms, was put on display in Shenzhen, China National Radio (CNR) reported.
The city was little more than a fishing village a few decades ago, and its booming prosperity epitomises China’s transformation since the days of Mao’s command economy.
The figure depicts the founder of the People’s Republic of China reclining in a chair, legs crossed.
A team of 20 artists took eight months to complete the 100 million-yuan (HK$126million) work, which is accented with precious stones and rests on a base of white jade, CNR said.
It did not specify who had commissioned or paid for the statue.