Overview
- The semi-nude statue, created by sculptor Pan He and installed at Huaqing Pool in 1991, has been on public display for decades.
- Recent online posts urge removal or added coverings, calling the depiction indecent and potentially harmful to minors or disrespectful to a historical figure.
- Other users responded with creative reworks and fully clothed remixes of the statue’s image, which the column says dilute its artistic qualities.
- The article emphasizes that the dispute is unfolding on social media and reports no official actions to remove or alter the artwork.
- The piece likens the outcry to criticism of a Lu Xun smoking portrait and argues it reflects rising moral policing, citing anecdotes such as Huo Yingdong’s investment litmus test to warn against sidelining bold art.