Goddess of Democracy

The Goddess of Democracy (Chinese民主 女神, Pinyin mínzhǔ nǚshén ), also known as Goddess of Liberty (自由女神, Ziyou nǚshén ), was a 10 -meter-high statue, which was erected during the protests in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989.

The statue was erected in just four days out of paper mache and polystyrene foam on a metal rod. The builders decided to build the statue as large as possible so that the government could not be destroyed or disappear without further notice.

Construction

The statue was built by students of the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts. Work began on 27 May 1989, their university. They should be built to support the protests, which began to subside at this point in intensity. The large statue was built on the basis of about half a meter high clay sculpture of a man who supports himself with both hands against a pole. This was developed in the context of an exercise, in which the effects of the weight distribution of a work to be tested. The lower part of the rod has been removed, to the top of the flame was applied, and the sculpture was placed in an upright position. Then the man's face was changed in the transfer of a woman and the proportions and dimensions of the foam, the finished carved the statue would give their ultimate appearance.

Despite some similarities with the Statue of Liberty noted Tsao Tsing -yuan, one of the builders of the " Goddess of Democracy " that the students had consciously decided against a copy of the Statue of Liberty, as these would have been unoriginal and openly pro -American. Instead, he notes the influence of the works of Russian sculptor Vera Mukhina. My famous work Worker and Kolkhoz Woman was especially for the head and the facial features of great importance.

When it came time to bring the parts of the statue to the Tiananmen Square, let the Chinese Ministry of State Security announce that truck drivers who were helping the students would lose their license, after which the students themselves transported the parts without truck to the place. They also had let pass a wrong route to the outside to keep the authorities at bay. Students from other colleges who had helped in the construction surrounded, holding hands the cars along the way, in the event that police or military would emerge.

On the evening of May 29, with less than ten thousand remaining in place protesters began the art students to build a framework of bamboo and build the statue there. Troops, which should prevent the construction of the statue were stopped on the way from Beijing citizens. At dawn on 30 May, the statue was completely constructed and stood exactly on the axis between the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Gate of Heavenly Peace, on which the great image of Mao Zedong hangs, so that the Goddess of Democracy and the former party chairman and president of China now exactly opposite stood and looked at each other. At the official unveiling on May 30, 1989, the crowd erupted in cheers and chants slogans like " Long live democracy." The statue could rekindle the will of the students to occupy the space and the number of people in the square rose within a day previously only around 10,000 to 300,000 protesters now.

Announcement of the builders

The art students who had built the statue, which was written the following, abbreviated here explanation:

" In this dark moment it is for us most importantly, calm and to remain united to a target. We need a strong, binding force, to strengthen our resolve: This is the Goddess of Democracy. Democracy ... You are the symbol of every student on the course, which the hearts of millions of people. Today, there is ... on the People's Square, the goddess and proclaimed all over the world: A consciousness of democracy has awakened among the Chinese people! A new era has begun! The ... Statue of the Goddess of Democracy is made of plaster and is here of course can not stand forever. But as a symbol of men's hearts it is sacred and untouchable. Let those who want to spot them, be warned: People will not allow this! ... On the day, arrive at the true democracy and freedom to China, we have another Goddess of Democracy building on the square here, monumental, towering, and permanent. We have the strong belief that this day will eventually come. We have one more hope: Chinese people, arise! Built the statue of the Goddess of Democracy in your millions of hearts! Long live the people! Long live freedom! Long live democracy! "

Destruction of the statue

After only five days, the statue of soldiers of the People's Liberation Army was destroyed during the violent crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square. Million people worldwide saw the toppling of the statue on the TV screen with. From a tank approached, she fell forward on right, accompanied by angry shouts of the protesters.

Replicas

After the massacre at Tiananmen Square, the original statue has become a symbol of freedom and democracy. It is since then a number of replicas in the world emerged to recall the events of 1989. Below is a selection:

• In the Victoria Park in Hong Kong, a replica of the statue was on 4 June 1996 during a vigil, attended by tens of thousands of people built.
• Even in 1989, began work on a bronze sculpture by a group of volunteers under the direction of Thomas Marsh. It was inaugurated in 1994, weighs about 270 kg and stands at Portsmouth Square in San Francisco's Chinatown.
• Another statue on the model from Tiananmen Square is at the University of British Columbia.
• A gilded replica can be found in the foyer of the ' Student Centre ' at York University in Toronto, Canada.
• The annual award from the National Endowment for Democracy "Democracy Award" is a scaled down replica of the original statue.
• Two replicas were built in 2010 in Hong Kong for the protests on the anniversary on June 4, however, were confiscated by the police after they had been issued on the Hong Kong Times Square. Due to public pressure, the statues were eventually returned and were still on the memorial in Victoria Park are shown.
• A three meter tall bronze replica of the " Goddess of Democracy " was on 12 June 2007 as a central element of the Monument to the Victims of Communism in Washington, DC inaugurated.