On September 19, in Meiwogou, Zhaitang Town, Mentougou District, a local edible mushroom base was under construction, with lawns planted on the rooftops of the factory buildings.
On September 19, in Huanglingxi Village, Mentougou, many local villagers had started running agritainment businesses.
The terrain of Mentougou is shaped like a fishbone, extending outward on both sides into numerous valleys, all of which have histories tied to coal.
Here, coal reserves span nearly 700 square kilometers; here, ecological destruction once covered 200 square kilometers; here, “riddled hills and valleys” were once the most accurate description...
The turning point began in 2005. That year, in line with Beijing’s urban master plan, Mentougou accelerated its transformation from a “resource-depleted mining area” to an “ecological conservation and development zone.”
Abandoned sand mines became pit parks, barren mountains became mountain parks, and coal wastelands turned into mountain orchards... Over the years, Mentougou has bid farewell to the “black, white, and yellow” represented by coal, lime, and sandstone, building a new green development zone.
Anjiatan Village
Bidding Farewell to Small Coal Mines and Following the Trend to Grow Cherries
Entire Village Relocated Due to Mined-Out Areas
Many farmers in the mountains of Mentougou have a “coal scripture” in their hearts.
“Mentougou has Jurassic coal, which is of high quality. For coal of the same grade, Jurassic coal has a calorific value of 6,500 kcal, while Permian coal might only be 4,000 kcal. Jurassic coal grows vertically, so coal mines in Mentougou are mined vertically. If water influx occurs, it’s very dangerous...” said Liu Jinbang, a former miner who worked at the Anjiatan Coal Mine.
Anjiatan Village, the hometown of An Quanshan, is a small village with just over a hundred households. It was relocated as a whole due to mining subsidence, and now the name of the village no longer exists.
The Anjiatan Coal Mine was established early and later merged with the nearby Wangping Village Coal Mine. The Wangping Village Coal Mine was once one of the eight major coal mines under the Beijing Western Mining Bureau (now the Beijing Coal Group). “The office area and residential quarters of the Anjiatan Coal Mine, as well as its living facilities and transportation conditions, were more developed earlier than those of the neighboring areas. Some villagers worked in the mine and thus left their farming lives behind.”
Due to its location in a mined-out area of the coal mine, starting from the late 1950s, villages in this mountain valley gradually relocated. The entire relocation of Anjiatan Village took place in 1995 when it moved to Yongding Town at the foot of the mountain. “Everyone became residents,” and the land use rights of the old village were retained.
The village developed an ecological sightseeing park
“Look how the northern mountain ridge has completely collapsed,” An Quanshan pointed to the mountains of his hometown. “The coal seams in many of Mentougou’s coal mines are unstable, with a large proportion being steeply inclined seams, some of which collapse along an entire line.”
Despite the relocation of the village, around the year 2000, illegal mining and excavation were still common in the old village. Around the mountains, “smoke vents” (entrances to small coal mines) dug by illegal miners were often seen, frequently accompanied by ground cracking and collapses.
In 2005, this abandoned village saw a turning point. In accordance with Beijing’s urban master plan, Mentougou District began accelerating its transition from a “resource-depleted mining area” to an “ecological conservation and development zone,” with the development of eco-agricultural tourism as a main direction. The “North Ridge North Area Ecological Sightseeing Park” was launched under this initiative.
Over the years, the government has consistently encouraged tree planting on the mountains, and now the hills look lush and green.
Today, the ecological sightseeing park has provided jobs for over 40 villagers.
An Jiuxing is one of them. He used to work in the city. “I couldn’t earn much money in the city. It’s better to come back home. Look how fresh the air is here.”
Cherries Can Cost Over 1,000 Yuan per Jin
The ecological sightseeing park mainly grows cherries, walnuts, pears, and other fruits.
Li Yingqiu from the Mentougou District Agriculture Commission said, “Growing cherries is now a trend in Mentougou. One reason is that cherries are relatively easy to grow, and another is the market value they command. Last year, cherries in Miaofengshan’s Cherry Valley sold for over 600 yuan per jin. At the time, we thought that was an astronomical price, and it couldn’t go any higher. But this year, their cherries sold for over 1,000 yuan per jin...”
An Jiuxing envies the brand value of the Miaofengshan Cherry Valley. The North Ridge North Area Ecological Sightseeing Park is still exploring its path. “Currently, cherry picking generally costs between 50 and 100 yuan per jin. Although the returns aren’t great yet, we can still give the elderly in the village a monthly stipend of 80 to 90 yuan.” More importantly, with the improved environment, people who relocated to the foothills “sometimes come up on weekends to breathe some fresh air.”
Besides fruit picking, the village’s priority is to develop leisure tourism that encourages visitors to stay. Several wooden and stone cabins have been built on the hillsides, using natural materials and blending naturally with the landscape. Interior renovations are currently underway. An Jiuxing said, “Right now, the most important thing is to build a brand, and service must keep up.”
“Traveling west from Beijing’s urban area, once you reach Sanjiadian, even the sparrows are black.” This saying, once popular in Mentougou, carries a touch of self-deprecating humor and reflects the reality.
An Quanshan, president of the Beijing Western Ancient Road Culture Development Association, recounted an anecdote to me: “In the 1980s, I walked into a valley where a coal mine had made the local wealthy family very rich. Their home had a Simmons mattress, but upon closer inspection, there was a thick layer of black soot on it.”
I’m all too familiar with this kind of situation. In the spring of 2010, the “Walking” column of the Beijing Geography section in the Beijing News traced the history and present of the Ancient Beijing-West Road and its surrounding villages. Back then, I often saw exposed rock faces from excavated mountainsides along the road. Some villages were relocated en masse to lower ground, but fruit trees remained in the abandoned villages, with green, unripe fruits swaying on the branches.
Huanglingxi Village
Backed by Cuandixia, “packaged” for tourism development
Closing small coal mines set us back ten years
Among the tourism brands of Mentougou District, Cuandixia is the most famous. Most visitors to the Cuandai Scenic Area come mainly for Cuandixia. However, there are other villages in this valley as well. Huanglingxi Village, with a history of 500 years, was once one of the key coal-producing villages in Zhaitang Town, Mentougou District.
Speaking of those “coal-boom” days, Wang Kejin, the Party branch secretary of Huanglingxi Village, has mixed feelings. “I started working in the coal mine at 16 and did every kind of job. Almost every household in the village, which had over 100 families, was connected to the coal business.” In the 1980s and 1990s, nearly every family in the village ran their own small coal mine. Even small operations could earn around 60,000 to 70,000 yuan a year, allowing people to live quite comfortably.
In 2000, following the State Council’s directive to shut down township-level small coal mines, Huanglingxi began closing all its coal operations. “Once the small coal mines were closed, migrant workers left, restaurants shut down, transportation teams disappeared, and villagers’ purchasing power dropped. You could say our village’s economy regressed by about ten years,” Wang said.
The village took the lead in developing folk tourism
In 2002, Huanglingxi completely shut down its small coal mines. “The government was very determined, and a working team came to the village to persuade everyone.” With the collapse of the coal mining-dominated industrial chain, it became necessary to address the production and livelihood issues of all villagers. Experts proposed a “prescription”: Huanglingxi has many stories from the War of Resistance, so they suggested developing folk tourism centered on red culture.
“Red songs resound in Huanglingxi” — now it’s starting to gain some fame. In 2009, the village committee and the women’s federation organized a local red song performance troupe. The group of nearly 30 performers weren’t professionals, and their acts were somewhat rough, but they had a unique charm. They often sang songs like “March of the Big Sword” and “Nanniwan.” When guests came, they would sit under the stage, enjoying the songs while dining, and sometimes even joined in. In addition to red songs, villagers also spontaneously established a folk museum displaying farming tools and more.
The village was packaged into the Cuandai Scenic Area
Ma Qi, deputy director of the Mentougou District Tourism Commission, told me, “Zhaitang Town grouped six villages in the Cuandai Valley together to form the ‘Cuandai Scenic Area.’ Led by Cuandixia, which had already developed folk tourism, the area worked to boost the other five villages together. Since the establishment of the Cuandai Scenic Area, the scale effect has emerged. Not only has visitor traffic to Cuandixia grown rapidly, but the folk tourism industries of the other five villages have also flourished.”
When we went for the interview, the Beijing International Mountain Hiking Festival had just ended. It’s said that many international participants came this year. The hiking trail signs are located near the closed small coal mines in Huanglingxi Village. The surrounding area is lush and green. The village’s Ming and Qing dynasty houses are simple yet bright, and as you turn along the winding mountain paths, different scenery unfolds. Art students from art academies often come here to sketch.
A fellow villager told us that the mountains are still full of pits and holes. Due to water scarcity, there are more thorny bushes than trees. If you push aside the thorns, within just a few meters, you can dig up shiny black stones. But these have been buried deep in time and have given birth to new life.
My decade
From coal truck driver to tree planter
Li Youjun, resident of Junxiang Village, Zhaitang Town, Mentougou District
Meiwokou Valley — just hearing the name tells you it’s a coal-producing area.
Meiwokou Valley is over 7 kilometers long and has around 300 coal mines of various sizes. The whole valley is like a beehive, full of mine entrances. In previous years, there were many illegal small coal mines, and you could see coal and miners covered in black dust everywhere. I used to work for a transport team, hauling coal out of the valley all day. The income was decent, but I was covered in dirt every day.
In 2008, the illegal small coal mines in Meiwokou Valley were shut down. I lost my job and just wandered around nearby. I heard a company was planning to invest in building a factory on some vacant land in our village, aiming to develop modern agriculture. I happened to run into Boss Su from Shutang Agriculture and asked him if he needed workers. He said, “Come on.”
Now, over 80 people in the village have found new jobs in Meiwokou Valley. They’re planting trees, growing grass, and doing ecological restoration. You can even see grass planted on factory rooftops. In the future, we’ll be able to rest up there.
I’ve watched Meiwokou Valley change little by little. The environment is so much better now. They’re building a edible fungi research base here. By the end of October this year, we’ll start production. Once fully operational, it could create jobs for 3,000 people in Meiwokou Valley.
My decade in reading
“A beauty lifts her veil and becomes graceful”
An Shan, president of the Ancient Beijing-West Road Culture Development Association
As for the Ancient Beijing-West Road spread across the Mentougou mountains — if you ask me how many times I’ve walked it, I couldn’t even count.
When I was young, I carried clay pots from Anjiatan Village along the ancient road to sell in Fangshan, and ended up bringing home a wife, becoming a son-in-law of Fangshan. Later, I worked in the Anjiatan Coal Mine for over ten years, then in the Secretariat Department of the Industrial-Agricultural District of the Beijing Mining Bureau, where I began researching the Ancient Beijing-West Road.
Ten years ago, when you mentioned the Ancient Beijing-West Road, it really was a “hidden beauty unknown to the world.” This ancient road is closely tied to coal mining history. These past ten years have seen the greatest changes in the villages around the Ancient Beijing-West Road. In the past, everything was dark, the sky was gray, and although people had a bit more money, their spiritual lives were lacking. But in these ten years, with the closure of small coal mines, the mountainous landscape has been completely transformed. To me, it’s as if a beautiful woman has lifted her dusty veil and revealed her grace.
Now, the Ancient Beijing-West Road has become a cultural and historical tourism emblem not just for Mentougou but for all of Beijing. This year, Mentougou has also developed national-level hiking trails, built a hundred-mile scenic corridor in the mountains, and promoted the full development of the mountainous region as a scenic area. The Mentougou of the future will surely become more and more beautiful.