Huancheng

　　Huancheng is an emerging coal industrial hub, nestled by the Weishan Lake and on the eastern bank of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is 10 kilometers south of Xiadian, the county seat of Weishan, 30 kilometers east of Tengzhou City, and faces the city of Pei in Jiangsu Province across the lake to the west. Within a 10-kilometer radius of Huancheng, there are 15 large and medium-sized coal mines with an annual production capacity of over 10 million tons, earning it the nickname "Coal City." It is also one of China’s key national energy bases.

　　　　Huancheng boasts a long and glorious history and culture. As early as the era of the Five Emperors (around the 23rd century BC), it was already an important town in southern Shandong, initially known as (Shang) Pi. Xizhong, the 12th-generation descendant of the Yellow Emperor and the Marquis of Xue, once relocated the capital of the State of Xue here. Xuhui, the 12th-generation descendant of Xizhong and the 23rd-generation descendant of the Yellow Emperor, served as the left prime minister of Tang and governed from here, renaming Shang Pi to Zhonghui City. During the Warring States Period, in the 35th year of King Wei of Qi (322 BC), his youngest son Tian Ying was enfeoffed in Xue to govern Zhonghui City. Tian Wen, also known as Lord Mengchang—one of the Four Lords of the Warring States and Tian Ying’s successor—later inherited the title. Among his retainers, Feng Yuan was known for two major deeds: the “Burning of Contracts to Promote Righteousness,” and persuading the kings of Qin and Qi to restore Lord Mengchang to power. In return, Lord Mengchang granted Zhonghui City to Feng Yuan as his fief. Feng Yuan was later buried east of the city. The city thus became known as Fengcheng, which was eventually simplified to Huancheng for ease of writing. In the second year of Empress Lü’s reign during the Western Han Dynasty (186 BC), she enfeoffed Yingke, the son of King Yuan of Chu, as the Marquis of Shang Pi.

　　　　Huancheng is not only an ancient town with a long history but also an emerging coal city. Its underground coal resources are extremely rich, with proven geological reserves of 2.118 billion tons. The coal seams are thick, shallowly buried, and easy to extract. The coal quality is excellent, with a high calorific value (typically between 7,000–7,500 kcal per kilogram), low ash content (less than 13%), and low sulfur content, making it a rare premium fuel for the metallurgical industry. Since 1970, the state has built or expanded 15 large and medium-sized coal mines in the Huancheng area. Currently, their combined annual production capacity exceeds 10 million tons. These resources are continuously transported to provinces such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Shanghai via tugboat convoys on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, as well as through the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and National Highway 104. Huancheng Town enjoys well-developed transportation. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the town, allowing cargo ships to reach dozens of ports in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang directly from Huancheng. Dozens of ports and docks of various sizes have been built along the river (canal), with an annual throughput capacity exceeding 5 million tons. The Jining-Weishan and Tengzhou-Pei highways intersect in the town. The secondary lake control gate to the west of the town is known as the “bridge that separates two provinces and connects three counties within a mile.” Huancheng serves as a crucial gateway from southern Shandong to northern Jiangsu, Henan, and Anhui, with daily vehicle traffic exceeding 3,000 trips.

　　　　Huancheng’s economy is developing rapidly. With the mining operations around the town, the secondary and tertiary industries characteristic of a coal city have seen unprecedented growth. Coal mining has spurred the development of the transport sector, and more than 100 businesses—including cement plants, coal coking factories, construction and installation companies, coal washing plants, coal machinery factories, commercial enterprises, and food and hospitality services—have flourished in service of the coal industry. This boom has also driven the growth of village-run enterprises and private businesses in surrounding communities. Urban development is equally remarkable. Advanced facilities have been established, including theaters, hospitals, schools, Wanghu Tower Shopping Mall, and buildings for finance and postal services. The agricultural market has also been expanded. Today, the town is filled with closely spaced buildings, bustling shops, wide streets, presenting the image of a brand-new coal city. This emerging coal hub, a jewel by the ancient canal, is place of abundant resources and exceptional people. Huancheng, this rising coal city and pearl along the old canal, will shine even more brilliantly in the future.