Chinese authorities have demolished a ramshackle 10-storey home in the village of Xingyi, Guizhou province, that had become an offbeat tourist attraction, ending a years-long battle between the owner and local officials.
The Unique Structure
Chen Tianming, 43, spent about 200,000 yuan ($29,000) over eight years to transform his family's single-storey stone bungalow into a pyramid-shaped structure of plywood rooms stacked upon one another. The home drew comparisons to the whimsical worlds created by Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, and attracted curious tourists.
Conflict with Authorities
Local authorities in Guizhou had long threatened to remove the structure, citing a lack of building permits and safety hazards. The home was held together by bamboo scaffolding, and officials deemed it dangerous. Chen's village of Xingyi was mostly demolished in 2018 as part of plans to build a tourist resort in the region known for its otherworldly mountain landscapes. However, Chen's family refused to leave, and as the resort's construction faltered, he continued building higher in defiance of demolition threats.
Final Demolition
In August 2024, authorities labelled Chen's home an illegal construction and ordered him to destroy everything except the original bungalow. On 18 May, Xingyi officials issued a final notice for the family to leave by 9am on Wednesday. After the deadline, local law enforcement and public security bureau officials escorted Chen and his parents away, confiscated his phone, and held him in custody as the home was demolished. The demolition took just hours, reducing the structure back to its original single storey.
Owner's Reaction
Chen told AFP, "I don't feel regret, because regret is useless. I also don't blame myself for failing to protect it – it's just that the force driving its destruction was simply too powerful." He filmed the aftermath, showing piles of building materials scattered around where the towering structure once stood. Chen is now seeking legal help to have the forced demolition designated illegal, saying, "Then I will have a chance to restore it."
