Stand at the rim of the Xilutian Mine on the southern edge of town and the ground drops away in terraces for hundreds of metres, a worked bowl of grey and ochre that has been dug out since 1914. Fushun is a coal city on the Hun River, and its sights are split between that industrial landscape and the forested hills and Manchu heritage sites east of the urban area.
The city suits travellers who are already in Shenyang and want a day or two of something different: industrial history, a major aquarium complex, and a string of Qing dynasty and wartime memorial sites. Distances are real here, so plan around one direction per day rather than trying to cross the whole prefecture.
This guide covers the places named in the source material, grouped so you can string them into a workable itinerary.
Top things to do in Fushun
1. Xilutian Mine
This is the largest open cast coal mine in Asia and a National Industrial Tourist Exemplary Spot, just south of the city in Wanghua District. It runs 6.6 km east to west and 2 km north to south, with a vertical depth of 388 metres, and it has been in use since 1914.
Come for the scale rather than for a museum experience. It sits in Wanghua District, so pair it with the Lei Feng Memorial Hall on the same side of town.
2. Lei Feng Memorial Hall
On Huping Road in Wanghua District, this building opened as a museum in 1964 and became the Lei Feng Memorial Hall in 1992. Lei Feng spent the last years of his adult life in Fushun and became famous nationwide as an example of conduct; the modern hall holds an exhibit in English and Chinese telling his story and displaying his belongings, photographs and writings. It is a Chinese AAAA rated tourist attraction and admission is free.
The hall is open 8:30AM-4:30PM and sits in a well-kept park. Note that the account presented is the official one, and scholars question whether Lei Feng existed at all.
3. Royal Ocean World
A family theme park in Wanghua District that opened in 2008 and is still being expanded, off the Shenfu highway midway between Shenyang and Fushun. It claims the largest aquarium in Asia and includes Ocean World with sea and fresh water aquariums, Century Forest for reptiles, lizards, snakes and crocodiles, Narnian Castle for animal shows several times a day, Susu World, a soft play centre for children, and Hawaii Waterpark with an indoor artificial beach, wave pool, water slides and a spa area.
Each attraction can be bought separately or on a combined ticket, priced ¥70-140. From Fushun take bus No.811, or a taxi for ¥30-40 negotiable; from Shenyang, bus No.2 from the South railway station or No.3 from the North railway station stop on the expressway near the park for ¥10.
4. Gao'er Mountain Park
A mountainous area of park land on the north edge of town, dotted with Buddhist temples, statues and pagodas. The tall pagoda at the top dates to 1088 and is 14.1 m high with a diameter of 6.8 m.
It is on the other side of the railway line from the Fushun War Criminals Management Centre, at 97 Gaoshan Road, so the two can be visited together.
5. Fushun War Criminals Management Centre
At 43 Ningyuan Street in Shuncheng District, on the northern edge of the city, this is where the last emperor, Puyi, and other Japanese and Kuomintang war criminals were detained after the end of World War II. The galleries show the transformation of the war criminals and their living conditions. Admission is ¥50.
Take bus no. 9 or 33 from Fushun Station, or bus no. 104 or 603 from Fushun North Station. The site was temporarily closed for renovations with a reopening date of 1 January 2022, so confirm before travelling.
6. Pingdingshan Massacre Memorial Hall
At 17 Nanchang Road in Dongzhou District, this site marks the 1932 killing of 3,000 people in the village of Pingdingshan by the Japanese army, and a mass grave where the bodies of 800 victims were found in 1972. It was rebuilt and expanded in 2007. Admission is free.
Opening hours are 09:00-16:00, closed on Mondays. Take bus nos. 6, 22 or 52, or bus no. 22 from Fushun North Station.
7. Saerhu Scenic Area
A 268 km² park on the southeast side of Dahuofang Reservoir in Dongzhou District. The Nuzhen tribes first settled in these surroundings before uniting the Manchu and becoming the Qing rulers of China, and the mountains were the scene of the Sar Hu Battle in 1619. It is a AAA rated tourist site on the national scale.
Opening hours are 8:30AM-5PM. Because the park surrounds the reservoir, treat the two as one outing.
8. Dahuofang Reservoir
On the eastern outskirts of Fushun, this is the largest reservoir in the north of China, covering 110 km² with a capacity of 2.2 billion m³. It is designated a National Water Conservancy Scenic Area and is the largest artificial lake in Liaoning.
It is best combined with the Saerhu Scenic Area, which surrounds it.
9. Hetuala City
Also known as Xing City, this nationally rated AAAA-class scenic area near Yongling in Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County is where Nurhachi set up his capital in 1616, founding the Late Jin Dynasty that would become the ruling Qing Dynasty. The site preserves the remains of the former capital and displays Manchu architecture, customs and culture. Admission is ¥20.
Opening hours are 8AM-5PM. It is about 70 km east of the city centre and a short drive from the Qingyong Tomb, so give the trip adequate time and do both in one day.
10. Qingyong Tomb
In Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County, this is one of the three tombs of the Qing dynasty north of the wall, built in honour of the ancestors of Nurhachi. Dating to the 17th century, the buildings are a fine example of Manchu architecture, and the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admission is ¥10.
Opening hours are 8:30AM-4:30PM. It pairs naturally with Hetuala City, a short drive away.
11. Houshi National Forest Park
A National AAAA-class scenic area in Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County, about 55 km from the city centre. Admission is ¥30.
Opening hours are 8AM-4PM. It is in the same county as Hetuala City and the Qingyong Tomb, so it fits a longer eastern loop rather than a city day.
12. Yuanshuailin National Forest Park
Created in 1992 and covering 10.44 hectares, this park lies northeast of Fushun on a promontory on the north side of Dahuofang Lake, about 32 km from the city centre.
It sits on the same water as the Saerhu Scenic Area and Dahuofang Reservoir, so combine it with those rather than making a separate trip.
13. Sankuaishi Forest Park
Also called Three Stone Forest Park, this is forest-covered mountain country near the Liaodong mountain about 53 km from the city, with abundant wildlife. Within the area is the site of a revolutionary base from the war against Japan and the following Chinese Civil War, where preserved trenches can still be seen. Admission is ¥8.
Opening hours are 8:30AM-5PM. Bring footwear for hiking.
14. Guanshanhu National Water Conservancy Scenic Area
Also known as Beihu, or north lake, this reservoir 23 km southeast of Fushun is a popular beauty spot with dense forest, mountain and lake.
It is in Fushun County, so group it with the other county sites rather than with the city centre.
15. Hunhe River Source Forest Park
An 8,240-hectare park in Qingyuan Manchu Autonomous County, at the source of the river the city sits on.
Qingyuan is some distance from the city centre; the source material also names Qingyun Temple near Qingyuan city and Xiahu Scenic Area in the same county, so plan a full day if you head this way.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Xilutian Mine on the south side of the city, then continue to the Lei Feng Memorial Hall on Huping Road in Wanghua District, which opens at 8:30AM and is free.
Afternoon: Cross to the north edge of town for Gao'er Mountain Park and its pagoda, then walk the short distance over the railway line to the Fushun War Criminals Management Centre on Ningyuan Street. If you are travelling with children, swap this block for Royal Ocean World instead.
Evening: If time allows, take bus no. 22 from Fushun North Station out to the Pingdingshan Massacre Memorial Hall in Dongzhou District, which is free and open until 16:00, closed Mondays. Otherwise finish at Dahuofang Reservoir on the eastern outskirts, where the Saerhu Scenic Area stays open until 5PM.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Fushun from Shenyang?
Railways and highways connect the city to Shenyang, and Fushun is about 40 km from Shenyang Taoxian airport. Bus No.2 from Shenyang South railway station or No.3 from Shenyang North railway station run towards Fushun and stop on the expressway near Royal Ocean World.
Which sites are free to enter?
The Lei Feng Memorial Hall and the Pingdingshan Massacre Memorial Hall are both free. Paid sites named in the source material include Royal Ocean World at ¥70-140, the Fushun War Criminals Management Centre at ¥50, Hetuala City at ¥20, Qingyong Tomb at ¥10, Houshi National Forest Park at ¥30 and Sankuaishi Forest Park at ¥8.
Which sites are outside the city and need a longer trip?
Hetuala City, the Qingyong Tomb and Houshi National Forest Park are in Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County, some distance east of the city centre. Hunhe River Source Forest Park, Qingyun Temple and Xiahu Scenic Area are in Qingyuan Manchu Autonomous County. Give these adequate travel time.
Is the Fushun War Criminals Management Centre open?
The source material records it as temporarily closed for renovations with a reopening date of 1 January 2022. Confirm current status before you build a day around it.
Decide which side of the city you want first, check the opening days for the memorial halls, and start mapping your route from Shenyang.