14 Days in Fuxin

The Haizhou open pit runs roughly 3.9 km long and 1.8 km wide, with the floor about 350 m down; coal extraction here ended in June 2005 and the site became one of China's first national mine parks that same year. Viewing platforms first, then a market-district dinner.

1. fuxin haizhou mine park
2. fuxin city markets

South of the city in Fuxin Mongol Autonomous County, under an hour by road. More than 260 Tibetan-Buddhist figures were carved into the granite slopes from the 17th century on, around the site of the Kangxi-era Puan monastery; climb slowly and watch your footing on the rock stairs.

1. fuxin haitangshan carvings

Founded in 1669 in Fo Temple town, southwest of the city, the Ruiying monastery grew into a monastic town of some 3,000 monks at its height and was called the Eastern Tibet of the region. Walk the hall complex at an easy pace — it is an active monastery, so quiet dress and behaviour are appreciated.

1. fuxin ruiying monastery

A slow day on the Xihe riverside greenway — park benches, milk tea, and an early night before the excursion block starts.

1. fuxin xihe greenway

About 25 km northeast in Shala town, the Chahai site preserves a neolithic village some 8,000 years old; the on-site museum explains the excavated houses, pottery and the stone-piled dragon figure just under 20 m long.

1. fuxin chahai site

In Zhangwu County, northwest of the city, the forest park stands on dunes held in place by pines planted from 1952 by the province's sand-control researchers — the southern edge of the Horqin sands. Boardwalk paths and a small exhibition; pair it with a country lunch in Zhangwu town.

1. fuxin zhanggutai forest

Under an hour away on the Beijing-Shenyang line, running through Fuxin since the end of 2018. The Mukden Palace, begun in 1625, and Nurhaci's Fuling tomb entered the UNESCO list in 2004; back to Fuxin by evening.

1. shenyang

North into Zhangwu county, close to the Inner Mongolia border, the sandy valley keeps spring-fed streams and dense shade under big trees — a cooler corner of the Horqin sands. Bring a picnic; buses are thin on the ground, so a hired car is the practical option.

1. fuxin daqinggou valley

A mid-trip pause — bazaar streets, laundry, a long lunch, and tickets sorted for the final week.

1. fuxin city markets

The roughly 830-metre Ula Mountain, in the county's west, is the high point of the Fuxin Mongol Autonomous County uplands — a half-day of grassy slopes and pine hollows with wide views over the sand country.

1. fuxin ula mountain

An honest neighbour day, about two hours away by road. Bijia Mountain sits offshore, joined to the mainland by a natural gravel causeway that appears at low tide — check the tide table before you go. The Liaoshen Campaign memorial museum in the city records the autumn 1948 campaign; back to Fuxin by evening.

1. jinzhou

A return to Haitangshan for the slopes skipped on day 2, at an unhurried pace — the light across the carved faces changes through the day.

1. fuxin haitangshan carvings

A last slow loop of the riverside greenway, market snacks packed for the train, an early night.

1. fuxin xihe greenway
2. fuxin city markets

A market breakfast of milk tea and pastries, then the HSR from Fuxin station for onward trains.

1. fuxin city markets