High-Rise Topping Mountain Retreat Drives Chinese Authorities Over the Edge

China seems to be full of outrageous rooftop additions, but this one might take the cake.

"Beijing's chengguan, or urban management, officials on Monday issued an ultimatum to a former government advisor, demanding he tear down the sprawling structure that he had built over the last six years on top of his top-floor flat," reports Vicky Feng. "The rooftop house features elaborate fake rocks, real trees and grass, and covers the entire top of the building. Parts of the structure look as if they could spill over the edge of the roof at any time."

"The bizarre two-storey structure, located in a high-end residential compound called Park View in Beijing’s Haidian district, an area of government institutions and universities, has bothered the building’s residents for years," she explains. "Local newspapers have identified the owner as Zhang Biqing, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and former member of a district People's Political Consultative Conference who owns a national chain of acupunture clinics."

Apparently, a flyby video of the addition posted on Sina Corp.’s Weibo micrblogging service that looks to have been taken by a drone had been viewed 700,000 times by mid-afternoon yesterday.