In China, a unique phenomenon known as a “nail house” is becoming increasingly common. These are properties whose owners refuse to leave, even when the government or developers are pushing hard to clear land for construction projects. The name “nail house” comes from how these homes stick out like stubborn nails that just won’t budge, no matter how much pressure is applied.
This situation has become a striking visual metaphor in modern China, where personal property rights have historically been complicated. While private land ownership was abolished by the People’s Republic of China decades ago, the 2007 introduction of China’s first modern property law gave citizens a bit more leverage. Still, the government often retains significant power over land usage—and that brings us to one man’s current predicament.
Ye Yushou, a tofu vendor in Jinxi County, Jiangxi Province, is the latest face of this nail house trend. His two-story home is now completely surrounded by a freshly constructed highway, the G206. Despite being offered 1.6 million yuan (around $220,000) and two additional homes in compensation, Yushou declined the deal in 2022. His reasoning? He believed he deserved more—specifically, 2 million yuan and three homes.
But the government wasn’t willing to budge. So, instead of continuing negotiations, they did something else: they built the highway around his house.
The result is surreal. Yushou’s home now stands isolated in the center of an active construction zone, earning it the nickname “The Eye of Jinxi.” Dust, constant noise, and the rumble of traffic are now part of his daily life. A small access path was built for him, but the house remains boxed in by the road.
And now, as the highway has officially opened to traffic—just in time for China’s Spring Festival—Yushou is left reflecting on his decision. He admits he regrets not taking the original offer.
“I asked for more, and now I’m stuck,” he told curious passersby, who often stop to gawk at the bizarre sight. Yushou says he spent over $14,000 hiring a lawyer from Beijing to fight for better compensation. In the end, that investment didn’t pay off.
Three of his neighbors did accept the government’s offer. Their homes were demolished, and they moved on. At least one reportedly became a millionaire after accepting the compensation package at the right time. Meanwhile, Yushou’s home still stands—lonely, noisy, and encircled by a bustling highway.
Local residents and internet users have mixed feelings about the whole situation. Some sympathize with Yushou’s determination to stand his ground. Others say he let greed get in the way of a reasonable outcome.
“He thought they couldn’t build the highway without buying his house,” one Reddit user commented. “He got greedy and found out the hard way.”
Another added, “I admire the principle, but living in the middle of a highway? That’s miserable. I’d be terrified every time a truck sped by.”
One user even joked that the situation felt like something out of Pixar’s Up: “Grandpa’s probably preparing the balloons as we speak.”
While some see Yushou as a cautionary tale, others see him as a symbol of resistance. But whichever way you view it, his story is now permanently cemented—literally—in the middle of a $63 million highway project.
It’s a visual reminder that sometimes, holding out for more doesn’t pay off. Instead of cashing in, Ye Yushou is now left with nothing but regret… and a whole lot of traffic noise.
