Check Out This Insanely Huge Golden Statue of Chairman Mao

Businessmen in China went all out to pay tribute to Mao Zedong.

TONGXU, CHINA - JANUARY 04:  (CHINA OUT) A huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong, 36.6 meters in height, is under construction at Zhushigang village on January 4, 2016 in Tongxu County, China. The statue costs nearly 3 million yuan (459,300 USD) donated by several entrepreneurs and some villagers in Zhushigang village.  (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)
TONGXU, CHINA - JANUARY 04: (CHINA OUT) A huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong, 36.6 meters in height, is under construction at Zhushigang village on January 4, 2016 in Tongxu County, China. The statue costs nearly 3 million yuan (459,300 USD) donated by several entrepreneurs and some villagers in Zhushigang village. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)
TONGXU, CHINA - JANUARY 04: (CHINA OUT) A huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong, 36.6 meters in height, is under construction at Zhushigang village on January 4, 2016 in Tongxu County, China. The statue costs nearly 3 million yuan (459,300 USD) donated by several entrepreneurs and some villagers in Zhushigang village. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

Chinese businessmen and villagers spent nearly $500,000 to build a massive, 120-foot-high golden statue of Communist dictator Mao Zedong in the center of an area brutally affected by famines he helped cause. Under Mao’s watch, upwards of 45 million people -- mainly peasants -- are believed to have died in just four years.

Chinese businessmen and villagers spent nearly $500,000 to build a massive, 120-foot-high golden statue of Communist dictator Mao Zedong in the center of an area brutally affected by famines he helped cause. Under Mao’s watch, upwards of 45 million people — mainly peasants — are believed to have died in just four years.

The gaudy new statue — which features a gold-painted Mao calmly looking into the distance with his hands folded across his lap — was erected in a rural area of Henan province. It is reportedly made out of concrete and steel, and took nine months to build.

Take a look below:

TONGXU, CHINA - JANUARY 04: (CHINA OUT) A huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong, 36.6 meters in height, is under construction at Zhushigang village on January 4, 2016 in Tongxu County, China. The statue costs nearly 3 million yuan (459,300 USD) donated by several entrepreneurs and some villagers in Zhushigang village. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

TONGXU, CHINA - JANUARY 04: (CHINA OUT) A huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong, 36.6 meters in height, is under construction at Zhushigang village on January 4, 2016 in Tongxu County, China. The statue costs nearly 3 million yuan (459,300 USD) donated by several entrepreneurs and some villagers in Zhushigang village. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

TONGXU, CHINA - JANUARY 04: (CHINA OUT) A huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong, 36.6 meters in height, is under construction at Zhushigang village on January 4, 2016 in Tongxu County, China. The statue costs nearly 3 million yuan (459,300 USD) donated by several entrepreneurs and some villagers in Zhushigang village. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

TONGXU, CHINA - JANUARY 04: (CHINA OUT) A huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong, 36.6 meters in height, is under construction at Zhushigang village on January 4, 2016 in Tongxu County, China. The statue costs nearly 3 million yuan (459,300 USD) donated by several entrepreneurs and some villagers in Zhushigang village. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

This photo taken on January 4, 2016 shows a huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong under construction in Tongxu county in Kaifeng, central China's Henan province. The statue reportedly measures 120 feet (36.6meters) in height and is located in Zhushigang village. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / AFP / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

This photo taken on January 4, 2016 shows a huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong under construction in Tongxu county in Kaifeng, central China's Henan province. The statue reportedly measures 120 feet (36.6meters) in height and is located in Zhushigang village. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / AFP / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Photo credits: ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images; ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images; STR/AFP/Getty Images

Henry Johnson is a fellow at Foreign Policy. He graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a degree in history and previously wrote for LobeLog. Twitter: @HenryJohnsoon

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