Replicas reveal lack of pride

A Chinese version of London's Tower Bridge in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, was recently judged by netizens to look more grandiose than the original construction and it has become a popular spot for tourists to take photos.

But for Suzhou, a historical and cultural city well known for traditional gardens and classical rivers and lakes that only the south of the Yangtze River boasts, the bridge looks somewhat incongruous with the local architectural style.

This is not an isolated case of such an architectural replica in China. According to media reports, there are at least 10 buildings across China modeled after the White House, with one even used as a local government's office building. The Eiffel Tower, the Sphinx, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Arc de Triomphe are also copied across China.