Chinese Man Creates Waterfall Outside His Apartment Building Because He Doesn't Want to Move

Impact

When you’re the last person living in an abandoned apartment building that’s slated to be torn down for a new mall, what do you do?

Do you take the money and move elsewhere, even though this apartment has been your home for over 30 years? Do you protest the new development by staying put and refusing to leave? This winter, in Jilin City, China, Wen Hsu refused to leave his apartment, even though he is the last remaining resident and developers have already bought the buildings around his in order to build a new mall. Hsu’s demonstration has captured the world’s attention not only for his determination to not back down under corporate pressure, but also gives great (albeit slightly sabotaging) inspiration for angry roommates or tenants around the world. 

Not only is he refusing to leave, but in order to demonstrate his protest, Wen Hsu literally created a waterfall to show his opposition to moving. Worried about losing his water supply, Hsu left his warm water tap on and hung it on the side of the building, creating a monstrous ice waterfall.

Developers are in a hurry to continue, yet Hsu still doesn’t budge, noting that the money developers have offered him for his apartment wouldn’t be enough for him to buy a new home. Chinese officials are now asking that the developers reach a settlement so that the issue can be resolved and the project can move on. Until then, Hsu will refuse to sell his home until the developers of the new mall project offer a price that will help him buy a new home.