Tangshan’s Century-Old Mining Site Transformed into Urban Showcase
In the heart of Hebei Province, a century-old coal mine that helped power China’s industrial revolution has been reborn as a vibrant cultural destination. Tangshan’s Kailuan Tangshan Mine — known historically as “China’s No. 1 Best Mine” — has undergone a remarkable transformation from industrial “rust belt” to urban “showcase,” according to Xinhua News.
From Industrial Cradle to Cultural Landmark
Tangshan, a city that “was built because of coal and prospered because of industry,” is widely recognized as the cradle of modern Chinese industry. The Kailuan mine, established in 1878, has operated for 148 years and produced many of China’s industrial firsts — including the country’s first standard-gauge railway, the Tangxu Railway, and the earliest surviving stock certificate, issued by the Kaiping Mining Bureau.
Today, the site has been transformed into the Kailuan National Mine Park, a sprawling 59,000-square-meter complex that has earned National 5A-level Tourist Attraction status — China’s highest tourism rating. The park features an “Eight Museums, One Theater, Two Parks, One Town” industrial museum cluster, a 4D theater, and an underground exploration tour that takes visitors 100 meters beneath the surface into historic mine shafts.
A New Model for Industrial Heritage
The transformation reflects a broader national push under China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” (2026-2030), which explicitly proposes “developing industrial tourism according to local conditions.” As Xinhua reported, the slogan “Don’t go to scenic spots, go to factory areas” captures the growing appeal of industrial heritage tourism across China.
Yang Lei, advisor to the Tangshan Historical Society and a distinguished researcher at the Kailuan Museum, emphasized the philosophy behind the project: “Protection is not sealing up, but letting historical genes gain new expression in the new era,” he told the Huanbohai News Network.
The park’s centerpiece, the Kailuan Museum, houses over 10,000 artifacts documenting China’s industrial journey. Visitors can view century-old leather-bound ledgers, early railway components from the Tangxu Railway — China’s first standard-gauge line — and the earliest surviving Chinese stock certificate, issued by the Kaiping Mining Bureau. These exhibits trace the evolution of Chinese mining technology and the broader story of China’s industrialization.
Where History Meets Modern Culture
Perhaps the most striking example of the site’s reinvention is the “Kailuan 1878 Cultural Leisure District,” renovated from nearly 10,000 square meters of old factory buildings. The district includes the Jinda Coffee House, named after Kailuan’s British chief engineer, where visitors can enjoy lattes adorned with latte art depicting the “Tangshan Mine No. 1 Shaft.”
“What we’re drinking isn’t coffee, it’s culture!” tourist Zhao Tao told local media, holding a cup with the distinctive mine-themed design.
The park also offers immersive educational experiences. The “Underground Exploration Tour” allows visitors to descend into authentic mine shafts, experiencing the conditions that generations of miners faced. Wu Chengyan, son of national model worker Wu Xuzhi and a veteran of the South China Sea Fleet, visited the site on International Museum Day 2025. After completing the underground tour, he remarked simply: “History has come alive!”
Recognition and National Significance
In December 2024, Kailuan’s industrial heritage protection case was selected for the national典型案例 (model case) list by China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, as reported on the Kailuan National Mine Park official website.
The park has become a national model for industrial heritage preservation. Its research and education programs — including courses titled “Kailuan Code,” “Inheriting the Banner,” and “Pursuing the Mine Soul” — have attracted widespread attention. Since 2015, the park’s “Little Docents Training Camp” has trained over 1,200 young volunteer guides, turning local children into passionate ambassadors for their city’s industrial history.
Broader Implications for Urban China
The transformation of the Kailuan mine is part of a larger story playing out across China’s industrial heartlands. Similar projects in Shanghai’s Yangpu Riverside district and other former industrial centers have demonstrated how heavy industrial cities can leverage their manufacturing heritage for cultural tourism, community revitalization, and economic diversification.
For Tangshan — a city whose identity has been inseparable from coal and steel for nearly 150 years — the Kailuan project represents more than just a tourist attraction. It is a statement of intent: that the city’s industrial past can be a foundation for its cultural future, and that the “rust belt” can indeed become a “showcase.”
Tangshan has leveraged its rich industrial heritage through cultural industry integration, ecological restoration, and city-linked development approaches. The result is a model that other Chinese industrial cities — from the rustbelt of Northeast China to former manufacturing hubs in the Yangtze River Delta — are watching closely.
As China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period begins, the Kailuan National Mine Park stands as a compelling example of how historical preservation and modern urban development can coexist — turning the relics of industry into engines of cultural renewal.