A giant statue of China's infamous Communist leader chairman Mao Zedong has risen above the countryside in a rural Chinese town.
The towering, 120-foot-tall figure was built from steel beams and concrete and painted a glowing gold color. Local business leaders and residents erected the statue to honor Mao -- a man who has been blamed for the deaths of millions by calling for widespread industrialization that triggered a devastating famine -- four decades after his death.
The Mao tribute looms over crop fields in Tongxu county, near the city of Kaifeng in Henan province, and appears to still be under construction. So far, it has cost locals approximately 3 million yuan (nearly $460,000) to build, according to local Chinese news outlet Sina. It has been under construction for nine months.
Photos of the statue show a seated Mao, perched atop a throne-like base gazing out on the empty fields surrounding the area.
Mao was the founding father of modern-day Communist China. He was in power for three decades before his death in September 1976. Despite his complicated legacy, Mao is still a revered figure within the country.
The statue is just the latest example of the epic tributes to the leader that have been created in China in recent years.
Mao's birthday is marked annually with celebrations on Dec. 26. In 2013, the country held large-scale celebrations nationwide to commemorate Mao's 120th Birthday. At the time, China's current President Xi Jinping has praised him as a "great figure," a patriot and a national hero.