Tangshan South Lake Park

Tangshan South Lake Park

Tangshan South Lake Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

South Lake Park is situated in a coal mining subsidence area 2 kilometers south of the city center. With a total area of 1,300 hectares, including 165 hectares of water surface, the park saw the launch of an ecological greening project by the Tangshan Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government in early 1997. The vision was to create a large-scale comprehensive ecological park that combines leisure, sightseeing, and water activities. To date, 400 hectares have been greened, with 300,000 trees planted and 200,000 square meters of lawns laid out.

The full name of Tangshan South Lake Park is Tangshan South Lake Central Ecological Park, and it is one of the second batch of national urban wetland parks approved by the State Council.

Originally, the subsidence area was rarely visited, overgrown with weeds, and its ecological environment and natural landscape were severely damaged. The barren scene was dominated by black flowing water and ash-filled air. Now, the park features shaded trees, lush green lawns, and clear lake water, serving as a leisure and entertainment destination for residents. The Past of South Lake

Tangshan South Lake Park was formerly part of the Kailuan mining subsidence area. Over a century of coal mining caused the ground surface in the southern part of the city to sink (including affected areas), with a total subsidence zone covering 20,800 hectares. Among these, the 1,800-hectare southern coal mining subsidence area is one of the larger regions. In the past, illegal dumping of garbage and rubble, random construction of pigsties and chicken coops, and coal ash emissions from power plants led to a harsh environment filled with mess and debris. Starting in 1996, the Tangshan Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government proposed to “turn disadvantages into advantages and transform the decaying into the miraculous,” launching a comprehensive remediation of the southern subsidence area. They focused on clearing all kinds of garbage and illegal constructions, implemented large-scale greening projects, and invested 200 million yuan over several years, planting a total of 1.38 million trees and greening 607 hectares.

What was once a barren land is now covered with lush woodlands and teeming with vitality. Sewage outlets around the subsidence area were sealed off, and over 190 hectares of water surface have been cleaned. Using waste dumps to shape the land, the uniquely designed South Lake Park was created, providing residents with a great place for leisure and entertainment.

Detailed Information

Located in the southern part of Tangshan City, just 670 meters from the city center, the park spans 28 square kilometers. It has been awarded Hebei Province’s first “Habitat Environment Award” and China’s “Habitat Environment Example Award” in 2002. In 2004, it received the “Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment.” In 2005, it was approved by the National Ministry of Construction as a national urban wetland park. Tangshan, an industrial city built on coal mining, has, over nearly a century of extraction, formed subsidence zones around the urban area, with the southern subsidence area being one of them. Decades of subsidence turned the area into an overgrown, tomb-filled, sewage-ridden wasteland that was largely avoided. This severely damaged the city’s ecological environment and urban appearance, impacting the daily lives of residents near the southern subsidence area.

At the end of 1996, guided by the principle of “turning disadvantages into advantages and transforming the decaying into the miraculous,” the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government decided to implement a large-scale ecological greening project. Over the years, the treatment of the southern coal mining subsidence area mainly involved five projects: first, the clean-up of the dirty, disorderly, and poor environment; second, large-scale greening; third, water body purification; fourth, beautification efforts; and fifth, municipal road construction. After more than nine years of development, the southern subsidence area had taken initial shape. The once dirty, disordered, and barren land underwent a qualitative transformation through miraculous ecological restoration and turning waste into treasure. These changes attracted attention and high praise from leaders and experts at all levels.

To provide residents with a leisure and entertainment space, key development was carried out on the subsidence area closest to the urban area—over 3 million square meters (i.e., South Lake Park)—including the completion of an outer simple loop road, hilltop gardens, artificial hill slope extensions, lake connections, the construction of boat docks, and a horse racing field. Before treatment, the hilltop garden was a garbage mountain filled with domestic waste. Through the application of high-quality soil cover and the stacking of rocks, its previous state is hardly recognizable. With carpet-like lawns and various shallow-rooted flowers and trees adorning the hill, Phoenix Terrace has become the most refreshing and beautiful high point in South Lake Park. The establishment of South Lake Park offers visitors an excellent leisure and entertainment destination, setting an example for the sustainable use of natural resources.

Coal has been Tangshan’s traditional industry. Over 130 years, the Kailuan Coal Mine formed a large coal mining subsidence area of 1,800 square meters. For over a century, this area had been a dumping site for both domestic and industrial construction waste. A massive garbage mountain, 50 meters high and 8 million cubic meters in volume, was shocking and off-putting. Being less than two kilometers from the city center, this enormous landfill became the “industrial scar” on the back of Tangshan—the soaring dragon—and locals called it Tangshan’s “Dragon’s Beard Ditch.”

Historical Honors

In 2001, Comrade [name omitted] visited the area and put forward clear requirements for the renovation and construction of the subsidence zone. To fulfill Comrade [name omitted]’s expectations, Tangshan City has carried out large-scale renovations here in recent years. In early 2008, the largest ecological restoration project in Tangshan’s history—the South Lake Park project—commenced. It officially opened to the public for free on May 1 of the following year, taking just over 400 days.

Spanning 28 square kilometers, South Lake Park includes 18 square kilometers of urban forest that attract various insects and birds, forming a sound ecosystem. With 11.5 square kilometers of lake surface—equivalent to two West Lakes in Hangzhou—since its opening, the “ecological, fun, and magical” South Lake Park has become a top leisure choice for residents. The once avoided “industrial scar” has now become one of Tangshan’s ecological landscapes.

On the afternoon of June 19, 2009, while inspecting work in Hebei, Premier [name omitted] visited the South Lake Central Ecological Park with great interest. Seeing the vast lake surface, tree-lined surroundings, and pleasant lakeside scenery, the Premier happily chatted with visitors. He said that whether responding to the international financial crisis or further developing the economy, our goal is singular: to ensure people live good lives.

Address: Coal mining subsidence area, 2 kilometers south of Tangshan city center

Type: Urban park lake

Rating: AAAA

Recommended visiting time: 2 hours

Tel: 0315-2834514; 4009882016

Opening Hours:

8:30–22:00, subject to seasonal adjustments; please inquire by phone for specifics

Ticket Information:

Gate price: Starting from 10.0 RMB

Night session: 10 RMB; day session: 90 RMB