TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on Monday (Jan. 20), Chinese sculptor Hong Jinshi (洪金世) has seen a resurgence in demand for his "Trump Buddha" sculptures. Hong, who first created the piece in 2021, drew inspiration from combining Trump's confident persona with meditation practices.
The sculpture has gained significant traction on e-commerce platforms, with a surge in replicas appearing on Amazon in the United States. In the past, the price of replicas on China's e-commerce platform Taobao surged to around 3999 yuan (around US$545). Now, each replica on Amazon sells for approximately NT$300 (around US$9.11) though originals from Hong are priced at around 999 and 20,000 yuan (around US$136 to US$2,729).
Hong attributes the demand to Trump's dual role as a president and social media influencer, noting the vast market appeal. He plans to design a statue of Elon Musk next, citing Musk's "Iron Man" image, rocket endeavors, and genetic traits as factors that would attract admirers. Meanwhile, opinions on Trump remain divided among Beijing residents, with some viewing him as a formidable economist and financier.
The whimsical sculptures of political and business figures have sparked online discussions, with social media users eager to see art pieces featuring Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and former Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).