Porcelain House

　　In Tianjin, there is a small French-style building full of European flair. After four years of careful crafting by business “prodigy” Zhang Lianzhi, it has undergone a magnificent “transformation,” donning a “Chinese outer garment” woven from ancient porcelain shards. The result is an antique charm that is truly one of a kind, becoming a stunning landmark in Tianjin and attracting visitors from both home and abroad to stop and admire.

　　The “Porcelain House” is located on Chifeng Road in Heping District, right in the heart of the bustling city center, just a stone’s throw away from the former residence of General Zhang Xueliang. Covering nearly 4,000 square meters, its roof is inlaid with hundreds of thousands of ancient porcelain pieces forming a 768-meter-long relief of a “dragon.” Looking up at this majestic dragon emerging from the skyline, you’ll see auspicious clouds swirling around it, with the most eye-catching feature being the prominently pieced-together word “CHINA.” A love for ceramics, a heart for China — standing there, you can feel the reverence and pride radiating from the heart of the owner of the Porcelain House.

　　The tall Western-style building is covered inside and out with broken porcelain shards. Porcelain pieces from kilns of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties shimmer brilliantly under the sunlight, offering a unique charm. Even more astonishing are the famous calligraphy and paintings from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, which adorn the interior walls — all meticulously pieced together from ancient porcelain shards by skilled artisans. Upon closer inspection, the walls display representative works by master painters and calligraphers from various dynasties, such as the Tang Dynasty’s “Five Oxen,” the Song Dynasty’s “Ancient Trees and Exotic Rocks,” and the Yuan Dynasty’s “Eagle and Pine.” Each floor features four to five such artworks, ranging from Mi Fu to Xu Beihong, and from “Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk” to the “Mona Lisa,” among many others. The walls of the Porcelain House are referred to as the “Wall of Peace,” with “peace” being a homophone for “vase.” This is because the wall is constructed by stacking and linking a total of 635 antique porcelain vases from the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, presenting an extraordinary and imposing sight.

　　To decorate this “Porcelain House,” over 4,000 ancient porcelain items, more than 400 white marble carvings, over 20 tons of crystal stones and agates, nearly 100 porcelain cat pillows, and more than 300 stone lions of various ages and sizes were used. The unique creativity and massive investment are as surprising as they are understandable.

　　The inspiration for building the “Porcelain House” came directly from the Huayun Museum, Tianjin’s first private museum founded by the then-owner of the Porcelain House, antique collector Mr. Zhang Lianzhi. The Huayun Museum features a wall inlaid with ancient porcelain fragments, which won praise from visiting finance ministers from various countries when it was unveiled in 2002. With the aim of further introducing Chinese porcelain to the world and showcasing the long-standing brilliance of Chinese civilization, Zhang Lianzhi conceived the idea of decorating the Porcelain House.