Pangu Mountain Mine Park

　　Pangu Mountain Park boasts a spacious area, the largest in southern Jiangxi and even bigger than the former Ganzhou Park. Inside, verdant trees, winding paths with lotus flowers, and pavilions and towers are tucked away among the scenery. The zoo, children’s playground, and water dance hall are particularly distinctive. Even now, despite being somewhat neglected, it remains an excellent spot for leisure.

　　This park, built in the 1970s, is marked as a tourist attraction on a travel map of southern Jiangxi. Having grown up here, I know it well. Even today, it remains a popular place for people to visit during the Spring Festival and take evening strolls.

　　The park is rich in vegetation, with large trees, shrubs, bamboo, and wild grass transforming it into a natural oxygen bar. Despite the abundance of plants, everything is neatly arranged, all thanks to careful planning—this park was built through voluntary labor by workers. The construction served two purposes: providing a recreational space for employees and their families, and using the environment to block sandstorms and treat industrial wastewater. As for the sandstorms, mining naturally produces waste rock and tailings, which form two other scenic features of Pangu Mountain: the waste rock pile and the tailings dam. But let’s leave that for another time.

　　The park is not just about trees—it also has an artificial lake and various amusement facilities. The beautiful boat-shaped structure on the artificial lake is one of the park’s iconic buildings. There’s also the zigzag bridge over the lake and the lotus flowers on the water—all of which remain vivid in my memory. Thinking back to the slides, cradles, seesaws, and other play equipment from my childhood still brings back fond memories. These facilities may not compare to the electrified rides in modern city amusement parks, but they hold the essence of my childhood. Most of these play structures were designed and built by mine workers themselves—not only were they aesthetically pleasing, but also practical—and they remain popular play areas for children today.

　　The park once had a zoo, which reportedly housed large animals such as tigers, though I never got to see that era. I personally saw monkeys, porcupines, and various birds. Funny enough, one of my elementary school classmates was bitten by a monkey while teasing it and had to get a rabies shot. The zoo is now abandoned. It’s said that some animals were relocated to the Ganzhou Zoo. So much history lies in the rise and fall of places.

　　That must have been a modern amusement park back then. I remember there were so many fun things to do as a kid, but sadly, it’s changed so much now.

　　Nowadays, every time I go back home, the park remains a favorite spot. We walk along the gravel paths, chat, or find a table to play cards—perfect for passing the time. It’s just that the wild grass has grown tall, adding a touch of melancholy. I remember when we were students, we even brought sickles to the park to cut the grass as part of our voluntary labor. These days, you might still run into old classmates in the park during the holidays—many haven’t been seen in years, with a lot of them having moved to the county town or even farther cities. This place holds memories for them too. When we meet again, it’s no longer the same people or the same scenery, and there’s much to reflect upon.