Ziyun Park

Ziyun Park

Ziyun Park is a star-rated park in Tianjin, recognized by the Ministry of Construction as an exemplary project for China’s human settlements environment. Located on No. 3 Road in Tanggu District, Tianjin, it is 45 kilometers from downtown Tianjin and 4 kilometers from the central area of Tanggu. It is an environmentally friendly mountain park built on the foundation of solid chemical waste treatment. Covering an area of 330,000 square meters, with a mountain surface area of 360,000 square meters and a main peak reaching 31.9 meters in height.

Ziyun Park utilized 5 million cubic meters of alkali residue to create engineering soil, covered with 0.8–1.2 meters of planting soil. The park has cultivated over 40,000 flowers, 160,000 square meters of lawn, and planted more than 300,000 trees and shrubs of over 100 species, all thriving vigorously. It also attracts dozens of bird species to nest here. The mountain park consists of seven scenic areas, organically integrating leisure, commemoration, environmental protection, ecology, and culture. To the east of the Tianjin Soda Plant and west of the mountain park lies a channel that once discharged cooling water from the plant. Today, both sides of the channel have been landscaped and decorated, transforming it into a scenic river surrounded by greenery. The completed park has improved the ecological environment of the area, providing the people of Tanggu with a beautiful park and green space, becoming a landmark landscape of Tanggu District. Experts consider it the only environmentally friendly park in China, and possibly the world, built using industrial waste.

Before the construction of Ziyun Park, it was an urban blind spot in Tanggu. For nearly a century, discharged alkali residue spread from the factory area to the seaside, eventually forming a massive alkali slag mountain covering 3.5 square kilometers and reaching up to 15 meters in height at its peak. It occupied the city center of Tanggu, becoming a serious urban pollution source while also causing significant waste of land resources. The mountain park organically combines leisure, commemoration, environmental protection, ecology, and culture, formed by seven scenic areas that create a continuous landscape transformation. Experts have called it the only environmentally friendly park in China, and possibly the world, built using industrial waste.

As one of Tanggu District’s “Top Ten Civilized Sites,” the environmentally friendly ecological park—Ziyun Park—has welcomed over 100,000 visitors in its three years since completion, becoming the best place for nearby residents to relax and exercise, achieving remarkable social benefits.

Starting in 1996, Tanggu District invested 350 million yuan over five years through a model of government organization, corporate participation, and market operation to build a mountain park covering 330,000 square meters. The initial success in alkali residue treatment and the gradual implementation of infrastructure have effectively improved the overall regional environment, generating significant environmental, economic, and social benefits.

Every spring and summer, Ziyun Park is filled with lush trees and green grass, making it hard to imagine that this was once a pollution source that plagued Tanggu for nearly a century. Residents freely rest and recreate here, treating it like a paradise on earth.

In the past, in Tanggu, mentioning the Tianjin Soda Plant would immediately bring to mind the world-famous “Red Triangle” brand of soda ash and the mountain of alkali residue formed from vast amounts of industrial waste. For many years, 36 million cubic meters of industrial waste discharged by the Tianjin Soda Plant severely troubled the residents of Tanggu. Through efforts by the Tanggu District Party Committee and District Government, starting with technological breakthroughs and taking five years, the alkali slag mountain was completely treated.

Today, the people of Tanggu are no longer troubled by the alkali slag mountain. What stands before them is a mountain park, a school, a scenic river, and a residential area. The Tanggu alkali slag mountain treatment project has generated tremendous economic, social, and environmental benefits. After the treatment, the atmospheric environment has improved, not only playing a significant role in enhancing the air quality of the Binhai New Area but also providing valuable experience for managing large-scale open pollution sources in urban areas.

Transportation

Address: No. 3 Road, Tanggu District, Tianjin

Transportation: Take bus routes 101, 102, 107, 816 (section), 825, 833, 936, 936 (section), or 937, and get off at Xingang Road Station

Self-driving route: Downtown Tianjin – Jianguo Avenue – Shengli Road – Xinkai Road – Huachang Road – Hongxing Road – Jinbin Avenue – Jinnan Road – Jinbin Expressway – National Highway 103 – Hebei Road – Shanghai Road – Xinkai Road – Chunguang Road – No. 3 Xinkai Road