A Hero Horses statue named "Honor of the City"was inaugurated at Yakou Beach in Longhu, Jinjiang on July 26.
On the same day last year, three valiant local people galloped their horses to the sea to rescue a kid. However, two of the three Hero Horses died afterwards. One year later, they returned heroically in a special way.
Jinjiang: a city of benevolence and righteousness
Last July, a 12-year-old kid was accidentally swept away by the waves at Yakou Beach. At that critical moment, Cai Liangxing, Shi Guoqing and Shi Hongyan galloped their horses to the sea and saved the kid. Unfortunately, two horses got sick after choked by seawater during the rescue and died shortly afterwards. They were posthumously awarded as "Meritorious Valor Horses" and mourned by netizens across the country.
Jinjiang is known for its benevolence and philanthropy. The completion of the "Hero Horses" statue is not only a compliment to Cai Liangxing, Shi Guoqing and the other brave rescuers, but also a lasting memorial to the two gallant horses. It’s also an acknowledgement to all public-spirited local entrepreneurs and warmhearted netizens.
"I hope the statue would remain a reminder to our posterity of the story of the gallant horses, and would transmit positive energy and leave this virtuous and righteous city an everlasting spiritual wealth," said Shi Nengshi, a member of Fujian Provincial Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and vice-chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Fujian Associations.
Statue dedicated to "Hero Horses"
The death of the Hero Horses prompted a national wide mourning. Neitizens left messages and appealed to buid a statue for the horses. Meanwhile, on its official microblog, People’s Daily reported the horses’ heroic deeds of saving live along with their masters.
On Aug 15 last year, Jinjiang art and literary circle launched an initiative to build a memorial for the Hero Horses in the name of love, followed by a campaign of "One Yuan Crowdfunding: Paying Tribute to ‘Hero Horses’", which was responded enthusiastically by local respectable people, businesses, citizens and netizens as well. Generous donations were received and the fund-raising goal reached within a day, with a total charitable contribution of over 200,000 yuan.
The "Honor of the City" statue is composed of three gallant horses, each weighing about 7 metric tons, measuring 2.2 meters high and 2.6 meters long. On the back of one horse among them lies prostrate a little boy, a vivid representation of the rescuing scene.
"Hero Horses" statue attracts citizens’ visit
The"Hero Horses" statue has become an internet-famous site after its completion.
On a stone tablet next to the statue, the prominent inscription reads "here are the Gallant and Meritorious Horses gallop as fast as the Dilu Horse", which arouses the curiosity of citizens who scan the the QR code beside the tablet to learn more about the touching stories of the "Hero Horses".
"This is the place where the heroic horses saved people’s life. It’s the most suitable place to erect a monument." Mr. Shi, a villager of Yakou, said that the monument can not only serve to commemorate the "Hero Horses", warn future generations and carry forward the spirit of justice and courage, but also enrich the cultural heritage of Yakou beach as a tourist attraction.