Ancient Village in Western Beijing | A Corner Gradually Forgotten by History

Number of days: 1 day
Time: March
Average cost: 300 yuan
With whom：a person

01

Those who often drive west of Beijing will surely notice that there are always some abandoned ancient villages flashing by on the roadside.

Have you ever wondered why these abandoned villages are concentrated in the western part of Beijing? You might say it’s because of traffic problems or urbanization, etc.

Actually, the real reason is...

The dragon veins in the mountains west of Beijing were destroyed by coal mining, causing the area's feng shui to deteriorate, and disasters have plagued the area ever since...

The above is just a joke!

However, the reason why there are so many abandoned ancient villages in western Beijing is indeed closely related to the thousands of years of coal mining history here.

02

Speaking of the history of coal mining in western Beijing, it can be said to be very long.

Western Beijing has been rich in coal since ancient times, with records of coal mining as early as the Liao Dynasty, when it was mainly used for ceramic firing.

People's daily lives mainly relied on wood, supplemented by coal. After all, firewood was easier to obtain than coal.

With population growth and forestland reduction, coal, with its higher calorific value per unit volume, became a perfect substitute for firewood.

03

By the early Qing Dynasty, coal began to replace wood and became the primary fuel in the Beijing area.

Back then, coal from the mountains west of Beijing was transported along the ancient Jingxi Road to Fuchengmen for supply to the capital, earning it the nickname "Coal Gate." Until the founding of the People's Republic of China, there were still several coal warehouses outside Fuchengmen.

In today's Beijing, place names such as Meishi Street and Meishikou still exist, all of which were named after the coal trade of that time.

In modern times, the coal industry in western Beijing has developed rapidly, and numerous modern large-scale coal mines have been built, bringing coal production in western Beijing to a peak.

In the 21st century, with the transformation and upgrading of Beijing, coal mines in western Beijing began to cease production one after another.

In 2020, Beijing's last Datai Coal Mine officially closed its doors, ending Beijing's millennium-long coal mining history dating back to the Liao Dynasty.

04

However, years of coal mining have led to the emergence of many mined-out areas in western Beijing.

A goaf refers to the hollow space or cavity left beneath the surface of a mine after years of coal mining. People and buildings near the mountain face the risk of being trapped inside the goaf.

As a result, some villages were forced to relocate entirely to new communities several kilometers away. The original villages were left uninhabited, and over time, the ruins we see today formed.

In ancient times, these places were either military garrisons or villages that naturally formed along the ancient roads due to commercial trade.

It's a pity that so many of these centuries-old villages have become deserted and uninhabited.

Due to their scattered distribution and relatively small size, these abandoned villages don't have much value for tourism development. However, they are a good choice as adventure and hiking destinations.

05

Walking among these ruins, although overgrown with weeds and dilapidated, one can still feel the torrent of history slowly flowing by.

One can even imagine the bustling scene here during festivals.

Sometimes, villages are particularly resilient, able to pass on history and culture for thousands of years without fading.

But sometimes villages are extremely fragile. Deserted and neglected, old houses are quickly and mercilessly destroyed by nature.

While we revel in the tranquility of Wuzhen and the misty waterside village of Xitang, I wonder how many people still remember these corners gradually forgotten by history.

Notes

Abandoned ancient villages are scattered throughout Mentougou and Fangshan districts in western Beijing, such as in the Tanzhe Temple area, Datai area, along the ancient trail, and in the more distant Zhaitang and Yanchi areas. Most are not marked on maps, so it's important to research them in advance or ask local friends. Remember to pay attention to safety when visiting.