Five-Goats Statue

Created by famous Lingnan sculpture artists Yin Jichang, Chen benzong and Kong fanwei, Wuyang stone statue was founded in April 1960 and is located in mukegang, Yuexiu mountain. Now it has become a famous scenic spot for both domestic and foreign guests to visit Guangzhou. Wuyang stone statue, 11 meters high, is carved with 130 pieces of granite, with a volume of 53 cubic meters. Taking four lambs of different shapes and a tall ewe with a head of rice as the model, the legend of sheep turning into stone and giving rice to Guangzhou people is reproduced. In the stone statue, the goat is in the middle, with its head held high, its beard slightly brushed, and its mouth holding "one stalk and six ears of grain". The powerful sheep's horns stretch out into the air, showing deep and powerful. The remaining four goats are arranged around, or the lambs kneel down to milk, or the ewes look back, or eat grass and drink water, or play, which is lovely and lifelike.

Five-Goats Statue

Wuyang stone statue is a granite city sculpture created by Yin Jichang, Chen benzong and Kong fanwei. It was built in April 1960 and is located in the mukegang of Yuexiu mountain in Yuexiu Park of Guangzhou city.

Wuyang stone statue the whole stone statue is 11 meters high with its base. The head of the main sheep is high, the ear is in the mouth, looking back and smiling, and the other four sheep are around the main sheep, playing or eating grass. Wuyang has become the symbol of Guangzhou city with different sizes, different postures and beautiful shapes.

Sculpture content

"Wuyang stone statue" is composed of more than 130 granite sculptures, with a height of 11 meters and a volume of 53 cubic meters. The five stone sheep have different expressions: the old goat standing on the high ground is vigorous, holding the ear of grain in his mouth, holding his head high forward; at the foot of the old goat is a pair of close lambs; there is another pair of mother and son sheep. The mother and son sheep look back at the young sheep quietly sucking milk, while the young sheep kneel under the ewe sucking milk, and the deep maternal love is beyond expression.

Creative background

In 1956, Guangzhou people's Art Society (now the predecessor of Guangzhou Sculpture Academy) received the instruction of Zhu Guang, then mayor of Guangzhou, to create a landmark sculpture that can represent the image of Guangzhou, just like the statue of liberty in New York and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, becoming a city landmark. After receiving the task, Guangzhou people's Art Society mobilized all staff to participate in the design. The design team carried out the sculpture design according to the legend that Wuyang fairy came to Guangzhou and brought good luck and happiness to the people of Yangcheng. They presented rice to the common people and wished that "May this market never have famine". Then they flew away and turned Wuyang into a giant stone. At that time, it was the great leap forward, and all works had to have a leader, so we designed a leader with a rice ear in his mouth. In order to create a lifelike image of sheep closer to life, the main design members Kong fanwei and Chen benzong went to the farm of South China Agricultural University to experience life - to see the real sheep. When you see goats, you recognize them. Kong fanwei created the love sheep in Wuyang stone statue, while Chen benzong created the love sheep. Later, Zhu Guang proposed to combine the works of Chen benzong and Kong fanwei into one, so as to re create today's Wuyang sculpture. As the director of Guangzhou Sculpture Institute, Yin Jichang took on the task of integration. After the final design, the workers of Beijing sculpture factory who once carved the "monument to the people's Heroes" took on the task of carving the Wuyang stone statue.

Wuyang stone statue is made of 130 pieces of granite, which took more than a year to carve.

Art appreciation

theme

Taking four lambs with different shapes and a tall RAM with a head of rice as the model, it vividly shows the legend of sheep turning into stone and giving rice to Lingnan people.

In the stone statue of five sheep, the weathered old sheep, with a bunch of ears of grain, stands high on the rock. Looking back at the people, looking forward to a bumper harvest, the five sheep are quiet and serene. The whole sculpture is full of humanity, friendship and peace. It can be said that it is the perfect unity and harmony of ideology and artistry.

The front of the sculpture is often the core of its aesthetics. On the front, you can see the majestic posture of the first RAM, with full ears of rice in the mouth, which means that people in Yangcheng are well fed.

image

In the stone statue, the goat is in the middle, with its head held high, its beard slightly brushed, its mouth holding "one stalk and six ears" of grain, and its powerful horn stretching into the air, which is deep and powerful.

At the foot of the big goat is a pair of close lambs; the other pair is a mother and son sheep. The mother sheep looks back at the sucking lambs, showing a strong maternal love.

Each angle of the stone statue of the five sheep is worth appreciating. There are different activities of the sheep, conveying different emotions and contents. The height of the whole statue has been carefully considered, including whether it is suitable for photographing.

Influence of works

Award winning

In 1987, in the evaluation of the first national urban sculpture exhibition, "Wuyang stone statue" won the national outstanding award of urban sculpture.

Derivative works

The emblem design of the 16th Asian Games held in Guangzhou in 2010 is based on the shape of the stone statue and abstracted as the torch design.

Repair and perfect

On August 13, 2001, the stone statue of Wuyang was struck off one of its horns by lightning, which was later restored.

Important exhibitions

From March 3 to April 6, 2017, the "casting era - Guangzhou Sculpture Academy's 60 year boutique tour · Dongguan station" was held in Guancheng Art Museum, in which the reduced version of Wuyang stone statue was displayed.

About the author

Yin Jichang (1923-1998) was born in Nanxiong, Guangdong Province. Yin Jichang, a modern sculptor, was responsible for the establishment of Guangzhou sculpture studio in 1956, which laid the foundation for the development of Guangzhou urban sculpture. From 1950s to 1960s, with the attention of Guangzhou municipal government, the construction of urban sculpture in Guangzhou began. Yin Jichang participated in the creation of three landmark works during this period: Sun Yat Sen Memorial Statue, Wuyang stone statue and Guangzhou liberation memorial statue.

Chen benzong, born on April 24, 1933, was born in Guangxi, Han nationality. Junior college culture, studied in Guangxi Art College in 1950. In 1953, the universities merged and graduated from the Sculpture Department of central and South American College. Senior artist of Guangzhou Sculpture Institute, Chinese artist, Guangdong artist, member of Guangzhou artist. From professional study to professional creation for more than 40 years, most of the works have been published in major newspapers and magazines all over the country, creating many large-scale commemorative and decorative sculptures for Guangdong, Guangxi and other places.

Address: 988 Jiefang North Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou

Longitude: 113.26303267479

Latitude: 23.137733657641

Tour time: half an hour

Traffic information: within walking distance of Yuexiu Park

Ticket information: Free

Opening hours: 9:00-17:00