200 villagers carry 10-tonne wooden house to new site in SW China's Guizhou

(Source: CCTV News)

More than 200 villagers in Pingzhai village, Rongjiang county, southwest China's Guizhou Province, recently worked together to move a two-story, nearly 10-tonne wooden house 30 meters to make room for a new home on the original site.

The house belongs to local resident Yang Shengmin. With his three children growing up, his family had outgrown the old structure, built over 20 years ago.

Before building a new, more spacious brick-and-concrete home on the same plot, Yang decided to relocate the existing wooden house so that his family would have a place to stay until the new house is completed.

Initially, Yang shared his plan with only a few villagers, but word quickly spread. Eventually, more than 200 villagers showed up to lend a hand.

To prevent damage, the roof tiles were carefully removed and stacked, wall panels were dismantled, and ropes were tied around the structure to maintain stability.

After thorough preparation, the villagers coordinated their efforts with chants and rhythmic counting. In just over 40 minutes, the entire house was lifted and shifted to its temporary location.

(Source: CCTV News)

After the relocation, villagers helped the family tidy up, carrying all the items that had been cleared out back into the old home.

"Not a single pane of glass broke, and nothing shifted. Everything remained exactly as it was — completely undamaged. We are truly grateful to our fellow villagers," said Luo Demei, Yang's wife.

The family hosted a feast that afternoon to thank the community for their support.

(Source: CCTV News)

A video of the successful move drew widespread attention online, with many commenting on the impressive feat of moving an entire home intact. Others questioned how a wooden house could be "packed" and carried as a whole unit.

The structure is a traditional stilted timber-frame residence, known in China as Ganlan style. It features mortise-and-tenon joints that provide both horizontal and vertical stability, explained Yue Jian, head of the Committee on Urban and Rural Cultural Heritage Conservation of the Civil Engineering and Architectural Society of Guizhou.

Ganlan-style buildings are a highly flexible form of architecture, according to Yue.

"The walls can be dismantled, and the roof can be assembled and disassembled," Yue said. "Therefore, when moving an old building, the roof load is first removed, followed by a layer of wall panels. Once the framework is repositioned, the mortise-and-tenon joints are adjusted. Any parts that have fallen off or been damaged can be replaced on-site."