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Giant Lion Carved From Single Tree By 20 People In 3 Years Becomes The World’s Largest Redwood Sculpture
A giant wooden sculpture of a roaring lion now stands proudly in a Central Chinese city square, and the journey it took to get there makes it all the more spectacular.
The Oriental Lion, as it has been dubbed, was carved from a single redwood tree trunk over the span of 3 years. Established Chinese architect Dengding Rui Yao, reportedly assisted by over 20 people, initiated the project in Myanmar, where the carving was seen through. Finally, when the great beast was finished in December of 2015, it was transported over 3000 miles to reach Wuhan’s Fortune Plaza Times Square. At 47.5 feet long, 16.5 feet high, and 13 feet wide, the Oriental Lion is a force to be reckoned with.
Lions play a significant role in traditional Chinese culture. When Buddhism spread from India to China, so did many of its symbols, including the lion. Seen as protectors, lion statues became a common installation at the gates of imperial palaces, including the legendary Forbidden City in Beijing. Today, they can even be found outside of hotels and restaurants, just in case any evil spirits drifted from the Han dynasty into modern times.
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What do you think ?
Đen Nguyễn 8 years ago
Took 20 people 3 years to complete, but probably took the tree hundreds and thousand of years to grow to that size.
King Dràgon the First 3 years ago
They definitely don’t take hundreds of years to grow stop exaggerating
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Nancy E 8 years ago
Different countries cultures vary, but, to me , the giant redwood is more beautiful than the lion. The tree says, I'm majestic ,enjoy long life , & , I'm alive. The lion says , I sacrificed a living tree , had 3 years of work , for art.
Rivkaka 8 years ago
It is a spectacular sculpture! But I was curious why that amazing tree was cut down for this? I hoped I would read it in the intro text.
Anne Madag 8 years ago
agree, Imagine that tree was remove (in 4th pic) then what will be look of that place :(
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Melody Lanzatella 8 years ago
Because THAT is the size tree it takes to make a RECORD BOOK large lion sculpture! I would rather see the tree!!!
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Jonathan Parkin 8 years ago
Everyone here seems to be in perfect agreement: The lion sculpture, fine as it is, will never bear the majesty nor give the world the goodness of the Tree that was sacrificed to make it. Ugh. You just don't treat old growth like that. Stone is a much more abundant material to use, far more durable, and comes with the added benefit of not requiring the death of a magnificent part of the ecosystem to create.
Melody Lanzatella 8 years ago
But stone wouldnt get them a "record breaking" large sculpture! They obviously wanted it to be in the record books! SELFISH!
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Amazing Unicorn 8 years ago
You do realize it FELL down, right? I saw this post on another site and it said that after this giant tree FELL down, they did not want they tree to go to waste.
CluelessLlama13 8 years ago
Everyone should be a bit more like Amazing Unicorn here and not jump to conclusions that will only make you angry. Thank you, Unicorn.
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Adam Quinney 8 years ago
It's very impressive, but would have been far more impressive and beautiful as a living tree.
Melody Lanzatella 8 years ago
Of course they are!!! Do you have ANY idea how many hundreds of years it took for that tree to get to that size?! THAT is what is impressive! THAT is what you MUST respect!
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Đen Nguyễn 8 years ago
Took 20 people 3 years to complete, but probably took the tree hundreds and thousand of years to grow to that size.
King Dràgon the First 3 years ago
They definitely don’t take hundreds of years to grow stop exaggerating
Load More Replies... Nancy E 8 years ago
Different countries cultures vary, but, to me , the giant redwood is more beautiful than the lion. The tree says, I'm majestic ,enjoy long life , & , I'm alive. The lion says , I sacrificed a living tree , had 3 years of work , for art.
Rivkaka 8 years ago
It is a spectacular sculpture! But I was curious why that amazing tree was cut down for this? I hoped I would read it in the intro text.
Anne Madag 8 years ago
agree, Imagine that tree was remove (in 4th pic) then what will be look of that place :(
Load More Replies... Melody Lanzatella 8 years ago
Because THAT is the size tree it takes to make a RECORD BOOK large lion sculpture! I would rather see the tree!!!
Load More Replies... Jonathan Parkin 8 years ago
Everyone here seems to be in perfect agreement: The lion sculpture, fine as it is, will never bear the majesty nor give the world the goodness of the Tree that was sacrificed to make it. Ugh. You just don't treat old growth like that. Stone is a much more abundant material to use, far more durable, and comes with the added benefit of not requiring the death of a magnificent part of the ecosystem to create.
Melody Lanzatella 8 years ago
But stone wouldnt get them a "record breaking" large sculpture! They obviously wanted it to be in the record books! SELFISH!
Load More Replies... Amazing Unicorn 8 years ago
You do realize it FELL down, right? I saw this post on another site and it said that after this giant tree FELL down, they did not want they tree to go to waste.
CluelessLlama13 8 years ago
Everyone should be a bit more like Amazing Unicorn here and not jump to conclusions that will only make you angry. Thank you, Unicorn.
Load More Replies... Adam Quinney 8 years ago
It's very impressive, but would have been far more impressive and beautiful as a living tree.
Melody Lanzatella 8 years ago
Of course they are!!! Do you have ANY idea how many hundreds of years it took for that tree to get to that size?! THAT is what is impressive! THAT is what you MUST respect!
Load More Replies...
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