Lingcheng Coal Mine Ruins

Lingcheng Coal Mine Ruins

The Lingcheng Coal Mine Ruins are a protected cultural heritage site of Hebei Province.

The Lingcheng Coal Mine Ruins are located 6 kilometers northwest of Lingcheng County in Hebei Province, about 500 meters north of Qicun Village. The site stretches 500 meters from north to south and 500 meters from east to west, covering an area of 250,000 square meters.

At the center of the ruins stands a pair of shafts, each with a diameter of 6 meters and a depth of 200 meters. The shaft walls are built with bluestone and cement mortar, making the structure sturdy.

From 1878 to 1881, Li Hongzhang, the Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang Trade, appointed Niu Bingchen, a provisional magistrate from Hubei, to survey mining sites around Lingcheng and Neiqiu. In 1882, the Westernization Movement officials raised 139,860 yuan to establish the Shigu Coal Mine and Jiaonigou Coal Mine. In August 1898, China and Belgium jointly operated the Zhili Lingcheng Coal Mine for the first time. After Li Hongzhang’s death in 1901, Yuan Shikai became the Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang. He terminated the contract, leading to the failure of the first joint venture. In 1903, the second Sino-Belgian joint operation of the Zhili Lingcheng Coal Mine was launched. Yuan Shikai sent Tang Shaoyi, the head of Tianjin Customs, to negotiate with Belgian merchants. After Tang stepped down, Liang Xiaoyan took over and continued the negotiations, resulting in a contract signed in 1905. The main and auxiliary shafts were completed in 1907 and coal production began, yielding high-quality coal. The establishment of the Zhili Lingcheng Coal Mine came only after the Kaiping Coal Mine in Zhili, the Huade Coal Mine in Shandong, and the Fushun Coal Mine in Liaoning, making it the fourth large-scale coal mine built by the Qing government and foreign investors. By 1912, the mine’s annual output reached 257,000 tons, ranking fifth among the seven major coal mines in the country. In 1927, the mine was flooded and production ceased.

After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan in 1937, the officials of the Lingcheng Mining Bureau fled south, and all surface equipment fell into the hands of the Japanese army. The Japanese massacred local residents, destroyed buildings, and transported all equipment away by train. By 1943, the once-famous Lingcheng Coal Mine had been reduced to ruins.

Historical Significance

The Lingcheng Coal Mine was one of the seven major coal mines in modern China. Its establishment, coming shortly after the Kaiping Coal Mine in Zhili, the Huade Coal Mine in Shandong, and the Fushun Coal Mine in Liaoning, stands as a testament to the significant achievements of the Westernization Movement in China's coal industry. It also serves as important evidence of the activities of key historical figures such as Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai, Tang Shaoyi, and Niu Bingchen. Furthermore, it is solid proof of the aggression and resource exploitation carried out by foreign powers in China.

The original site included surface facilities such as the main shaft, auxiliary shaft, hoist house, and ventilation house, with a garden in the western part of the mining area and a Catholic church in the southern part. Today, only remnants of the main shaft, auxiliary shaft, and hoist house remain. The Lingcheng Coal Mine utilized steam-powered hoists, ventilators, and drainage machines for the three production processes of lifting, ventilation, and dewatering, while other operations still relied on manual labor and animal power. As such, it represents a typical example of modern coal mining technology, distinct from both ancient and contemporary mining methods.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Hebei Province