Changsha to Build Largest Underground Ski Resort in Central China

According to the Sanxiang Metropolitan Daily, Canada’s Butchart Gardens is the world’s second-largest and most renowned garden, attracting over 500,000 visitors from around the globe each year. Yet few know that it was originally transformed from an abandoned quarry. A similar vision is now set to unfold in Changsha. Zheng Ping, Director of the Two-Oriented Society Office in Yue District, Changsha, revealed plans to convert a massive 200-acre, 70-meter-deep mine pit at the Shengxin Cement Plant in Pingtang into the largest underground ski resort in central China. Rather than resorting to traditional landfill methods, this innovative approach focuses on ecological restoration—a seemingly simple yet profoundly transformative step that promises to shape an extraordinary future. This project is just one example of the city’s forward-thinking "Two-Oriented" initiatives. Recently, while strolling through the planning exhibition hall in Changsha’s Dahexi Pilot Zone, reporters were greeted by a vivid scene: "Under a brilliant blue sky, crystal-clear streams meander gently; lush forests teem with cheerful birds and animals." Clearly, these are the very images that will soon become the reality of Changsha.
The mine shaft will be transformed into the largest ski resort in central China.
Pingtang Town was once a thriving industrial hub, home to 96 enterprises. However, due to its early industrial development and outdated pollution-control facilities, the region’s environmental quality once plummeted—leading to a situation where "dust and dirt were flying everywhere" throughout the town.
Today, the old industrial base in Pingtang has been completely transformed. In 2009, 13 cement and chemical enterprises were shut down and phased out from the site, resulting in an annual reduction of 13,525 tons of industrial dust emissions, 2,600 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions, and 37.55 million standard cubic meters of waste gas emissions—along with a decrease of nearly 200,000 tons in industrial wastewater discharge. By 2011, Pingtang Town had earned recognition as a provincial-level eco-friendly township.
During the process of closing down enterprises, there’s one detail that cannot be overlooked. The once-flagship polluting enterprise—Pingtang Xinsheng Cement Factory—left behind a massive 200-acre, 70-meter-deep mine pit. Faced with this challenging legacy, inspired by the "Two-Oriented Society" development concept, a creative solution has emerged: abandoning the conventional approach of land reclamation and instead opting for ecological restoration. The abandoned mine will be transformed into a state-of-the-art ski resort, featuring indoor skiing facilities, an ice and snow amusement park, a winter-themed restaurant, a unique ice and snow cinema, a boutique ice-and-snow hotel, and even a sprawling shopping mall—all seamlessly integrated into the natural landscape.
Wetland park becomes a green water purification hub
Yanghu Duan was once one of Changsha’s major vegetable-growing bases, covering an area of over 10,000 mu. Today, it has been transformed into Yanghu Wetland Park—a "green lung" that now supplies the city with fresh air. Yet surprisingly, the wetland park relies entirely on treated wastewater to replenish its water supply.
It is understood that the Dahexi Pilot Zone has been actively exploring innovations in wastewater treatment technology. By combining engineered treatment processes with advanced constructed wetland systems, the zone has achieved a seamless solution for treating urban domestic wastewater. The treated effluent now meets reclaimed water standards, allowing it to be reused as a vital source of replenishment for Yanghu Wetland Park. From there, the water undergoes further natural purification within the wetland park, ultimately meeting stringent surface water quality standards. This integrated approach not only enables zero discharge but also fosters resource synergy, creating a sustainable and eco-friendly water management system.
The Meixi Lake Water Purification Center is another example of using a constructed wetland to purify water quality.
Two Models · Achievements
Meixi Lake: a 3,000-mu urban lake nestled amidst the cityscape; in the south, Taohualing Mountain Park will undergo landscape restoration and renovation of its damaged terrain, with completion scheduled for 2013. Meanwhile, the first phase of comprehensive management along the Longwanggang River to the north has already achieved success—transforming what was once a "low-lying, cluttered swampy wetland" into an emerging international new city centered around the "lake," anchored by the "mountains," and connected by the "river."
Yanghu Wetland Park: As the largest urban wetland park in central China, it spans a planned area of 7 square kilometers. Once completed, the park will boast over 3,000 plant species, more than 300 bird species, and water quality meeting Class III surface water standards.

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