A large number of ancient stone statues were discovered recently in Yongzhou City in Hunan Province. According to the local officials the number and scale of the statues surpass the famous Qin Terracotta Warriors and could be considered another wonder of the world.
The group of stone statues is located about 100 miles south of Yongzhou City. Local people call these stone statues "Guizaizai" which is literally translated as "little ghosts". They were given this name largely because nobody knows where they come from. The statues are mostly made of limestone, which is widely distributed throughout the local area. Some are granite and others are sandstone. The height of these statues ranges from one to three feet. Many of them are above ground, others had been buried underground.
The statues seem to depict civil officials, military officers, pregnant women and all kinds of common soldiers. Most of them are in a sitting position with different expressions, yet all look benevolent and serene.
The craftsmanship and modeling are very unique though it may not be as exquisite as the Qin Terracotta Warriors. They were made in a much earlier time period than the Qin Terracotta Warriors. Who made these statues remains unknown, as no written records have been found.
Tang Zhongyong, an official from Hunan Cultural Relics Department said, "these stone statues were most likely used as part of a large altar during an ancient period of China’s history. There are about 5,000 stone statues at the site covering an area of 4 acres. 90% of them were made before the Qin and Han Dynasties. Some are from the Tang and Song dynasties. It is a large integration of ancient Chinese sacrificial culture."
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