Land laid waste by coal is reborn as cultural garden

Traditional mining area shifts its focus to improving environment

Longquan Buddha Cultural Garden is a cluster of temples, recreational areas and tree-filled fields about 9 kilometers from downtown Taiyuan, the largest city in coal-rich Shanxi province. It is a popular spot for residents to enjoy the outdoors on a sunny afternoon.

Seeing it today, it's hard to imagine that as little as five years ago the entire area was covered in toxic waste.