A giant Buddhist palace is built in 1998, Yuntian Palace in Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Photo:IC

 A giant Buddhist palace in South China has recently become the target of criticism on social media over its 200 million yuan ($29 million) price tag.

Built in 1998, Yuntian Palace in Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is a giant complex home to a 33-meter-tall Buddha statue, one of the tallest indoor Buddha statues in the world.

Dubbed locally as Guangxi's "Potala Palace," Yuntian is 13,000 square meters larger than the Tibet Autonomous Region landmark.

Yuntian Palace was funded by an entrepreneur from Taiwan and cost 200 million yuan, Sina News reported. It is listed as a national-level tourist attraction.

While built two decades ago, photos showing the expansive palace appearing somewhat out of place with the rest of the city have recently begun circulating on social media.

Reactions have been mixed. While some praised the site as impressive, others disapproved of Yuntian's design and hefty cost.

An opinion piece published by Eastday compared the site to a "Potala Palace knockoff."

"Was this building approved by the local government?" Sina Weibo user "96xiaoshi" asked.

"Two hundred million yuan would be better off invested in industries than used for a building like this," commented Weibo user "nedaye".

However, besides Yuntian's religious significance, locals also pointed out the site's other merits, such as its large assortment of rare stones and woodcrafts. "You have to pay 135 yuan for a visit. Not too bad," wrote "aichiniuwa."

ifeng.com