Published : 22/12/2025
Porcelain, or "China", is a key part of China’s cultural heritage.
The Tianjin Porcelain House is adorned with over 700 million antique porcelain pieces and dishes, creating an extravagant landmark famed as a "priceless museum of ancient Chinese porcelain".
Join us to explore this ceramic wonder, see its unique architecture and uncover the stories within.
From western mansion to porcelain house
The Porcelain House is located on Chifeng Road in the Heping District of Tianjin.
Its predecessor was a French-style mansion with a history of over a hundred years, possessing the architectural structure of a European-style residence. Compared to the ordinary buildings surrounding it, it appears particularly eye-catching.
In 2000, Zhang Lianzhi, a Tianjin overseas-Chinese merchant and antique collector, spent 30 million RMB to buy the mansion. He integrated his long-collected Sancai from the Tang dynasty and treasures from the Ming and Qing dynasties into the building's layout and decoration, transforming the mansion into a "porcelain house".
It wasn't until 2007 that the Porcelain House was officially opened to the public, becoming a landmark building in Tianjin. And over the years, Zhang Lianzhi has continued to add unparalleled porcelain treasures to the Porcelain House.
The magnificent Porcelain House in Tianjin
Before you even enter the Porcelain House, you will likely be stunned by its magnificent exterior.
On the roof of the Porcelain House, a huge "porcelain dragon" over 700 metres long is installed. The dragon's design is unique and imposing. It also coils to form the word "China", and at the centre of the house are the characters for "Chinese Dream".
The entire Porcelain House, including the basement, has five floors in total, of which the first to fourth floors are open for visitor tours.
In the very centre of the museum, there is a courtyard staircase covered in porcelain shards. The atrium runs through the mansion, winding its way up to the top floor.
Looking up from the first floor to the fourth, one feels like gazing at the sky from the bottom of a well. Conversely, looking down from the fourth floor, visitors can clearly see the "Lucky Money Pot" below, where tourists toss coins to make wishes, while also admiring the stair railings and walls on each level—all meticulously inlaid with porcelain fragments.
This is a must-see photo spot when visiting the Porcelain House.
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According to reports, Zhang Lianzhi used over 700 million ancient porcelain shards, 20 tonnes of agate and crystal, and more than 13,000 complete antique porcelain pieces to create the ceramic-clad exterior of the Porcelain House.
These materials, along with stone carvings, were embedded within concrete and secured with marble adhesive, becoming integral parts of the structure. Such ingenious arrangement and design are truly awe-inspiring.
No wonder that in 2010, the Tianjin Porcelain House was named by foreign media as one of the "World's 15 Most Uniquely Designed Museums", gaining international fame ever since.
The intriguing stories of the Porcelain House exhibits
Among the most distinctive exhibits in the Tianjin Porcelain House are the three imperial pathways made of white marble, located at the centre of the main staircase.
Known as the "imperial pathway", this refers to the rectangular stone slabs embedded in the middle of staircases in ancient palace architecture—a symbol of imperial authority, reserved exclusively for the emperor to walk upon.
However, the arrangement of this imperial pathway features "two phoenixes subjugating a dragon"—a design that originated after the death of Emperor Xianfeng.
To assert her authority, Empress Dowager Cixi deliberately reversed the traditional Qing palace hierarchy of "dragon above, phoenix below."
This reversal symbolized her supremacy over Emperor Guangxu, positioning herself as the heavens and the emperor as the earth, thereby creating the distinctive "phoenix overpowering dragon" motif.
Cat lovers visiting the Porcelain House can also discover antique feline figures.
Along the front wall, a row of downpipes is embedded with nine porcelain cat-shaped pillows from the Cizhou Kiln of the Qing dynasty. Dubbed by visitors as "the world’s most luxurious downpipe," it adds another charming detail to this unique attraction.
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The glaze on the porcelain cat pillows is lustrous, and their shapes are lifelike; some have several black spots on their lips and backs, making their forms realistic.
It is known that the porcelain cat pillows have a long history and were dowry gifts for women during the Ming and Qing dynasties, symbolising marital bliss. As one walks along admiring the porcelain cat pillows, one will perhaps recall scenes of lavish wedding banquets held by wealthy families in ancient times!
If you plan to visit the Porcelain House during your next trip to Tianjin, consider doing a little preparation beforehand.
This way, you may uncover more of the fascinating historical stories behind its porcelain antiques—making your visit all the more interesting and meaningful!