Anshan

Anshan is a large, inland prefecture-level city located in the central-southeast region of Liaoning province, China. It sits just south of Shenyang, which is the provincial capital. The city is a major industrial hub known globally for its massive mineral resources. In fact, Anshan holds one-third of the entire world's supply of talcum. It also contains one-quarter of the world's reserves of magnesite.

The name "Anshan" is tied to the local geography. It comes from a nearby mountain located south of the city. This mountain has a distinct shape that looks like a horse saddle. Travelers on a northbound train can see this landmark about five minutes before arriving at the Anshan railway station.

The physical landscape of Anshan changes depending on where you stand. The western and central regions consist of wide, flat plains. These plains are very fertile and are used for agriculture. About 26.4% of the total land area is arable, meaning it is suitable for farming. One famous crop from this region is the Nanguo pear, which is nicknamed the "king of pears." To the southeast, the land rises into hilly and mountainous terrain. This area includes the Qian Mountains and the Qianshan National Park.

Anshan has a deep history of metallurgy, which is the science of working with metals. People have lived in this area since prehistoric times. For more than 2,000 years, the region has been a site for iron mining. In 1587, the Ming Dynasty fortified the area to defend against the Manchu. However, the city faced destruction during the Boxer Rebellion and the Russo-Japanese War from 1904 to 1905. Following that war, Japan gained influence in Liaoning and began industrializing the region.

Between 1918 and 1945, Anshan was under Japanese colonial control. During this era, the city became a major center for modern iron and steel production. The mills were eventually turned into a Japanese-owned monopoly. In 1933, the site expanded and was renamed Showa Steel Works. The city was part of the puppet state known as Manchukuo. During this time, the city was ethnically segregated. Japanese residents lived east of the railway line, while Chinese residents lived to the west.

Because of its massive steel production, Anshan became a strategic target during the Pacific War. It faced several attacks from B-29 Superfortress bombers used by the United States Army Air Forces. These raids caused heavy damage, reducing the plant's capacity by up to 30%. After Japan's defeat in 1945, the Soviet Red Army occupied much of the area. They took many pieces of manufacturing and mining equipment back to the Soviet Union. Eventually, Anshan was returned to China.

After the Chinese Civil War, the city was governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In December 1948, the Anshan Iron and Steel Company, also called Angang, was founded. This company became a central part of China's First Five-Year Plan. The plant resumed production on July 9, 1949, and became the largest steel producer in the country. Because of this, Anshan earned the nickname "Steel Metropolis." The city's economy grew as other industries, like coal mining, developed around the steel plants.

In recent decades, Anshan has focused on modernizing its heavy industry. In the 1980s, steel furnaces were updated to blow oxygen in from the front. This change increased production and helped reduce pollution. In the 1990s, engineers added oxygen blowing from the top as well. By the year 2000, the company switched to a method called continuous casting. This new technology significantly reduced dust and other forms of pollution. While these machines require less manual labor, the reduction in the workforce has created some unemployment challenges. Today, the city is also working to grow its economy through tourism, such as its famous jade attractions.