Splendid China

Reclining Buddha, by Virginia Hoffman

Splendid China opened in 1993 in Citrus Ridge, Florida, near Kissimmee.

Prayer Room, by Virginia Hoffman

The park was built by the People’s Republic of China at a cost of $100m. Exquisitely hand-wrought miniatures depicted Chinese landmarks.

The Great Wall, by Pat David

Imperial Palace/Forbidden City, by Pat David

Though the original Splendid China in Shenzhen was, and still is, a successful venture, the Florida park was besieged by protests, and fraught with internal corruption.

Rhys Asplundh

After just 10 years, Splendid China Florida closed in 2003.

Rhys Asplundh

Lee Bennett

For the next decade, the park became home to vandals and abandoneers. Much of the original statuary was stolen. This was probably for the best, as if it had not been taken, it would have been completely destroyed.