I know I have seen this configuration on a wild plant in sunny NC woodsy clearings years ago. The plants die back to the ground in winter in our climate, but may grow larger in warmer ones, and your neighbor's specimen looks young to me. Still no luck digging up an image other than in my memory.
I am always fascinated by the different, but sometimes very similar species of plants we share with China, and the many species we have imported here from your home country that seem to thrive here as well. The Magnolia grandiflora, for instance is native to the southeastern US. BTW, the wiki link's range distribution map is wrong! It grows all over NC, TN, and AR. But in the arboretum gardens in Raleigh, which used to be named North Carolina State University Arboretum, and somehow now bear the name Ralston Purina (maybe a generous donation?), there are at least twenty different species of magnolia which are otherwise rare here, because they're imported from China, grow well in our climate, but are expensive enough to remain out of reach of most gardeners.
To keep this on topic, I will mention, that magnolia is used in teas for drinking and topical application and thought to have health benefits. The perfume of the native grandiflora variety can be delighted in fifty feet or more away from the tree.
I had to come back and correct this post where I attributed the name of the NC State University Arboretum to the pet food manufacturer, Ralston Purina. The correction is to the late Dr. James Chester Raulston, who was the director of the Arboretum. The error is apparently mine, because I went back to the original article, and it is correct. 
