A ramshackle 10-storey home in southwestern China, which had become an offbeat tourist attraction, has been torn down, ending a years-long battle between the structure's owner and local authorities. Chen Tianming, the 43-year-old owner, said local authorities took just hours to reduce the pyramid-shaped structure of plywood rooms stacked atop one another back to its original single-storey stone bungalow.
Owner's Reaction
"I don't feel regret, because regret is useless," Chen told the AFP news agency. "I also don't blame myself for failing to protect it – it's just that the force driving its destruction was simply too powerful." Chen had spent about 200,000 yuan ($29,000) over eight years to transform his family home into an unlikely tourist attraction in the village of Xingyi in Guizhou province.
Tourist Attraction
Visiting tourists drew comparisons between Chen's home and the intricately detailed, whimsical worlds created by Japanese animator and Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. The structure, held together by bamboo scaffolding, had become a popular sight in the region known for its otherworldly mountain landscapes.
Legal Battle
Authorities in Guizhou province had long threatened to remove the multi-storey building, saying it lacked necessary building permits and posed a safety hazard. Chen's home village of Xingyi was mostly demolished in 2018 as authorities planned to build a tourist resort. Chen's family refused to leave, and as the resort's construction faltered, he began building his home higher in defiance of demolition threats.
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 ordering Chen's family to leave by 9am on Wednesday. After the deadline, local law enforcement and public security bureau officials escorted Chen and his parents away from their home, confiscated his phone, and held him in custody as the demolition proceeded.
Future Plans
Chen, who filmed the aftermath showing piles of building materials scattered around where the towering structure once stood, told AFP that he is now seeking legal help to have the forced demolition designated illegal. "Then I will have a chance to restore it," he said. Additional reporting by Yu-chen Li.
