7 Days in Fushun

The memorial hall in Wanghua District keeps the belongings and diary of Lei Feng (1940-1962), who died on duty in Fushun on August 15, 1962; his tomb and monument stand in the grounds. Evening along the Hun River parks.

1. fushun leifeng memorial
2. fushun hunhe riverfront

The West Open Pit, worked from 1901, measures about 6.6 km long and 2.2 km wide; the mine museum lays out a century of coal, and a market street nearby sorts out lunch and tomorrow's train tickets.

1. fushun coal mine park
2. fushun city markets

Start early for the 100 km ride southeast to Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County. At Hetu Ala, Nurhaci proclaimed the Later Jin khanate in 1616; the nearby Yongling tombs joined the UNESCO Ming-Qing imperial tombs listing in 2004.

1. fushun hetuala city
2. fushun yongling tombs

A national forest park in Fushun County, southeast of the city, built around stair paths, birch woods and the three stacked granite boulders that give it its name. Carry water and a picnic; the round walk takes most of a day.

1. fushun sankuaishi forest

The war criminals management centre, in use from 1950, held Japanese war criminals and the last Qing emperor Puyi until his release in 1959. The Pingdingshan memorial in Wanghua preserves the site of the massacre of September 16, 1932, when more than 3,000 villagers were killed. A quiet, factual day — both visits are self-guided.

1. fushun war criminals centre
2. fushun pingdingshan memorial

About an hour away by intercity train. The Mukden Palace, begun in 1625, and Nurhaci's Fuling tomb were both added to the UNESCO list with the Ming-Qing imperial ensemble in 2004; back to Fushun by evening.

1. shenyang

A Liao-dynasty brick pagoda crowns the hill above the Hun River, ringed by hillfort walls older still. Market breakfast, a slow climb, then the intercity ride to Shenyang for onward trains.

1. fushun gaoershan park
2. fushun city markets