Asia is one of the world’s best destinations for people who want to see the tropics and love the beach. It is also home to some of the world’s most famous sculptures.
Here is a list of five custom sculpture works that you should check out if you find yourself traveling in Asia.（If you want to have your own custom sculpture, check here）
Terracotta Warriors
Xi’an, China
This is a collection of sculptures that dates back to the late third century. The collection depicts the army of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The whole collection consists of 670 horses, 130 chariots, and 8,000 soldiers. The sculptures were made as funerary art, said to guard the Chinese emperor in the afterlife. The collection was discovered in 1974 when farmers who were digging a well, found them in a location a mile away from the tomb of the Emperor. The majority of the sculptures have been moved to the mausoleum in Xi’an where it is declared as a World Heritage Site in 1987. Some of the sculptures travel around the world to be part of art exhibitions.
Merlion
Marina Bay, Singapore
The Merlion is considered to be Singapore’s icon. It is a half-fish and half-lion sculpture that spouts water. Due to developments being made in the Singapore River’s front, the iconic statue was transferred to the Central Business District, where it now overlooks the Marina Bay. This one is the original Merlion of Singapore. There are four more official Merlion statues around Singapore. The one in Sentosa Island is the tallest, standing at 37 meters.
Laykyun Setkyar Buddha
Khatakan Taung Village, Myanmar
This Buddha is considered as one of the tallest statues in the world, standing at 116 meters. The Laykyin Setkyar Buddha is dressed in golden robes and with its height, it can be spotted even when you are miles away. The locals treat the statue as a sacred embodiment and the monument as a place of worship. The Buddha was constructed in 1996 and just completed in 2008. It took a long time to finish since the sculpture was funded solely by donations from the locals.
Hachikō Statue
Shibuya, Japan
The story of Hachikō has touched the hearts of people around the world. Hachikō is an Akita dog who always goes to Shibuya Station to send and fetch his owner every day for 10 years until his owner died. Even with his honor’s passing, Hachikō still continued his routine of going to the station. When he eventually died, he was buried beside his owner. This small brown sculpture is located in front of Shibuya Station, outside the exit that is also known as the Hachikō exit. The statue as put up to honor the unwavering loyalty of dogs and has been a well-known landmark in Shibuya.
Buddha Park
Vientiane, Laos
People who love sculptures should not miss this when in Laos. This open-air park has over 200 sacred statues of different sizes. It was built in 1958 by a monk who studied Buddhism and Hinduism. Because of this, the sacred statues are embodiments of deities, animals, and demons from both religions. You will definitely spend a lot of hours roaming around the park appreciating the intricate details of each sculpture.
