In the fast-moving world of China’s infrastructure projects, efficiency is often a point of pride. Yet, even billion-yuan ventures can be stalled by something as small as one family’s refusal to move. This is exactly what happened in Jiangsu Province, where a single homeowner held up a 38 billion yuan ($5.2 billion) high-speed railway for two years, demanding an astronomical payout for a modest house.
The railway project, launched in 2020, was designed to link Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai with a sleek 163.54 km-long high-speed line. Construction advanced rapidly, and completion was nearly in sight except for one obstacle. In Jiangsu, a lone house became notorious as a “nail house,” a term used in China for properties whose owners refuse to vacate despite surrounding demolition and development.
While every other resident in the village agreed to relocate, one family stood firm. Known publicly as Aunt Zhang, the homeowner demanded compensation far beyond what authorities could legally offer. Initially, she asked for 100,000 yuan ($14,000) per square meter, but when the government rejected the demand, she doubled it to 200,000 yuan ($28,000) per square meter. The total came to a staggering $14 million for her property.
Local officials had already extended a far more generous deal than most would receive 5 million yuan ($700,000) plus three replacement homes but Zhang refused. Believing the government wouldn’t abandon such a colossal infrastructure project, she treated the situation as, in her eyes, a “once-in-a-lifetime payday.”
Her gamble, however, backfired. The government responded by building the railway bridge on both sides of her property, leaving her house isolated. For two years, the entire project sat in limbo, with the official inauguration pushed back from its intended 2024 date.
Meanwhile, the case caught national attention. Drone footage and news coverage turned the Jiangsu nail house into a symbol of extreme stubbornness. The media spotlight proved overwhelming for Zhang, who reportedly developed severe neurasthenia under the pressure. Eventually, she relented, agreeing to relocate under the official terms.
Chinese media confirmed that Aunt Zhang finally signed the deal, clearing the way for the completion of the 38 billion yuan railway that had been stalled by her defiance.