A humanoid centipede sculpture has been removed from a scenic park in Lijiang, a town in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, along with a statue of a three-headed girl, among others.

The move, announced earlier this week by the Land of Wilderness scenic park on microblogging platform Weibo, came in response to an online controversy that began on Oct. 11, when videos of the sculptures went viral, drawing polarizing reactions online. Some netizens described the artworks as “eerie” and “grotesque.”

Park staff initially responded that the Land of Wilderness was designed by renowned singer and folk artist Qiao Xiaodao as a whimsical “fairy-tale world” for his daughter, meant to evoke childhood wonder. They added that some videos circulating online may have exaggerated the sculptures through editing and filters, maintaining that the park remained “a beautiful photo spot in good weather.”

Qiao built the park in 2020, transforming 40,000 square meters of barren landscape into an imaginative landscape filled with hundreds of miniature cottages, treehouses, and animal-shaped huts made largely from recycled scrap metal, tires, and discarded furniture. He envisioned the park as “a place of healing,” where visitors could reconnect with their imaginations and “return to childhood.”

The “Human Centipede” statue was created by Qiao for musician Liang Long, the lead singer of Beijing rock band Second Hand Rose, ahead of a concert on Sept. 10.

Despite this week’s backlash, Land of Wilderness has been widely popular among tourists. It ranks second among all Lijiang scenic spots on lifestyle platform Dazhong Dianping, surpassing long-established attractions such as the city’s Old Town.

Public opinion on the sculpture’s removal remains divided. Some netizens defended Qiao’s artistic freedom, arguing that “not liking art doesn’t mean it shouldn’t exist.” Others contended that artworks displayed in public commercial spaces must consider mainstream emotional impact.

In its Weibo message, the park also apologized, saying it “deeply regrets the discomfort caused” to park visitors. It pledged to seek broader public feedback in future creative projects “to prevent similar misunderstandings.”

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: Sculptures at the Land of Wilderness scenic park in Lijiang, Yunnan province, 2025. From Xiaohongshu)