A huge statue of China's revolutionary leader Mao Zedong is being erected at a square in Gonggar County, Tibet Autonomous Region, according to the local government.

 

The 35-ton granite statue, rising 7.1 meters from a 5.16-meter pedestal, was said to be the largest of its kind in China and the first in Tibet with Mao's statue.

 

Changsha, capital of Hunan Province and Mao's hometown, donated 6.5 million yuan (US$812,500) for the plaza, of which 480,000 yuan (US$60,000) was spent on the statue, said Feng Conglong, deputy head of Gonggar county.

 

Hunan people had donated more than 25.8 million yuan (US$3.22 million) to Tibet over the past decade to build hospitals, schools and greenhouses, said Daindar, deputy secretary of the county's committee of Communist Party of China.

 

"Many Tibetan people suggested we should have a statue of Chairman Mao to show our gratitude for the people of his hometown when we planned the square," said Daindar.

 

Mao Zedong, born into a farming family on December 26, 1893, was the founder and leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the People's Republic of China.

 

In 1951, Mao and his comrades peacefully liberated Tibet and then ushered in a reform to abolish the thousands years old serfdom on this plateau.

 

This year is the 30th anniversary of his death.

 

The statue is placed at Shangcha square which is under construction in the county.

 

Thousands of local people gathered in the county seat to see the statue when it arrived early this month, some with hada, a traditional white scarf for a blessing, said Soinam, a construction worker at the square.

 

"To protect the statue, we attached a lightning rod and strengthened the base, so Chairman Mao can withstand earthquakes up to 5.5 on the Richter scale," said Daindar.

 

"We seldom see earthquake or lightening in Gonggar, but we want to ensure the statue is secure," said Daindar.

 

The statue will be the central landmark of the square, which covers about 40,000 square meters and will be completed in July.

 

The square will also host the annual week-long commodity fair of Gonggar in October, attracting around 10,000 people from home and abroad, said Daindar.

 

Dagzain, a female farmer, said she would come to the square to honor Mao.

 

"Now, we can present hada to him at any time," said Dagzain.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2006)