A few days after the New Year news sources reported on the near completed construction of a 120 foot (37 meter) statue of Mao Zedong (毛泽东). Last week, those same news agencies shockingly reported the demolition of the same structure. With almost the same speed as the Chinese stock plummet, the golden Mao was dissembled….

It is not yet the Chinese New Year or Chun Jie (春节), but amongst other excitement, China has rung in the Gregorian New Year with a golden gift. In the eastern province of Henan a 120-foot high (36.6 meter) gold-leafed statue of Mao Zedong was unveiled. The gargantuan effigy has accumulated praise and contempt from…