About Porcelain House
The Porcelain House (Guzi Lou) is one of China's most extraordinary and controversial art installations — a 1920s French-style mansion entirely encrusted with millions of pieces of antique porcelain, crystal, marble, and agate. Created by artist Zhang Lianqi over five years starting in 2002, the building is both celebrated as folk art and criticized as destruction of historical artifacts.
Every surface of the building — exterior walls, roof, columns, and interior rooms — is covered in a mosaic of broken ceramics, vases, and ancient porcelain pieces dating from the Han to Qing dynasties. The effect is dazzling and overwhelming, like walking into a giant jewelry box. The interior features themed rooms with sculptures, furniture, and installations all made from porcelain fragments.
What Not to Miss
The exterior facade, covered in thousands of porcelain pieces creating intricate patterns and dragon motifs.
The interior rooms with themed installations — each room tells a different story through porcelain art.
The rooftop terrace with views of the surrounding French concession area.
