Chinese authorities demolish villager's madcap 10-storey home
Chinese authorities demolish villager's madcap 10-storey home
Authorities have razed a ramshackle 10-storey home that defied demolition notices and building restrictions for years to become an off-beat tourist attraction in southwestern China.
The structure drew comparisons from visitors to the fantastical creations of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.
Mr Chen Tianming spent nearly eight years transforming his family’s stone bungalow into a towering maze of staircases, balconies and wooden extensions.
Authorities said the building lacked permits and posed safety risks. Mr Chen resisted repeated demolition orders as the home continued to rise floor by floor.
Dozens of officials arrived at his home before dawn on Wednesday (May 20), escorting Mr Chen and his parents away while demolition crews tore through the structure.
Most of Xingyi village was cleared in 2018 for a planned tourist resort. Mr Chen refused to leave and continued building even after the project stalled.
