The before. Photo provided to China Daily

The before. Photo provided to China Daily

The owner, a 68-year-old man surnamed Gu, moved there in 1957. Over half a century later, it had barely changed, except for being more worn down and decrepit. Gu was living there with his son and daughter-in-law and their infant.

The family was surviving in such cramped conditions that the young matriarch of the family, Xu Meixia, 38, grew concerned for her 3-year-old son's health.

Speaking before the renovations were completed, a clearly distressed Xu says on the show: "I pray that somehow I can give my boy enough space to grow up healthily in."

At the time, the studio was dimly lit and impossibly small. The boy ate and played on his bed because there was no room to move.

"I feel so sorry for him. Compared to other boys his age, he really has nothing," she adds.

After his first visit, Wang had no choice but to agree. He decided the property was not only lacking in décor but "human dignity, sunshine and air". He promptly accepted the challenge.