Chinese artist dedicates 2 months to crafting giant Buddha Ultraman, sparks official probe
Cliffside figure which looks like Japanese cartoon superhero was created by artist who learned how to sculpt in space of just two months
A giant stone statue called “Ultraman Grotto” which was crafted by a man in China has captivated social media and triggered an official investigation.
The 2.8 metre-high sculpture has a head like the Japanese superhero Ultraman and a body that adopts a sitting Buddha gesture.
It is located on a cliff face in Anyue County of Sichuan province, in southwestern China, the news outlet Shangyou News reported.
In early June, a blogger surnamed Zhou released a video introducing the sculpture which he spent two months creating at a cost of 3,000 yuan (US$400).
He said he did all the work, from putting up the scaffold, carving the gigantic hole with an electric hammer and crafting the sculpture with professional tools.
Zhou learned his trade from a local craftsman during a one-month stint under him at the beginning of this year.
He then began his Ultraman project as he wanted to leave “some trails”.