Shanxi
Shanxi is a landlocked province in northern China, east of Shaanxi. It is known for historic temples, walled towns, and extensive coal resources.
Pingyao: A walled city in Shanxi whose Ming- and Qing-era streets and buildings are preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its intact walls and merchant architecture exemplify Shanxi’s historic urban heritage.
Loess Plateau: A region of northern China covered by wind-deposited silt, with deeply eroded hills and valleys. Its landforms cover much of Shanxi and influence farming, erosion, and settlement.
Jin State: A major state of the Zhou dynasty whose territory included much of present-day Shanxi. The province takes its name from Jin, whose historic heartland lay in the region.
Coal mining: The extraction of coal from underground or surface deposits for energy and industrial use. It is the principal activity behind Shanxi’s long-standing coal economy.
Air pollution in China: The contamination of air across China by particulate matter, gases, and other pollutants from human and natural sources. Coal combustion and heavy industry have made air quality a major concern in Shanxi.
Yungang Grottoes: A complex of Buddhist cave temples near Datong, carved into sandstone in the fifth and sixth centuries. The grottoes are among the province’s most renowned early Buddhist monuments.
Taihang Mountains: A major mountain range running along the eastern edge of the Loess Plateau in northern China. The range forms a prominent natural boundary along Shanxi’s eastern side.
Northern Wei: A dynasty that ruled northern China from 386 to 534, founded by the Xianbei Tuoba clan. Its rulers established Datong as a capital and sponsored the Yungang Grottoes.
Coal-fired power station: A power plant that burns coal to produce heat, steam, and electricity. Shanxi’s coal supplies power generation within the province and beyond.
Subsidence: The sinking or collapse of the ground surface, often caused by underground mining or extraction of fluids. Long-term coal mining has caused ground subsidence in parts of Shanxi.