Lvliang’s transformation as a resource-based city

Situated in the heart of China’s Loess Plateau, Lvliang in Shanxi Province thrived with coal and gained significance with its resources. As a quintessential resource-based city, it served as a crucial energy supply base while confronting multiple challenges: resource depletion, ecological fragility, and the growing pains of industrial transition.

Against the backdrop of high-quality development and “dual carbon” goals, Lvliang proactively reshaped its development trajectory. Leveraging rural revitalization as its foundation, pioneering ecotourism and cultural integration as breakthroughs, and powering green industries as its engine, the city is forging a sustainable development path of global significance.

Rural Revitalization: Rebuilding Foundational Development Units

In recent years, Lvliang has advanced the integrated development of agriculture, culture, and tourism to implement rural revitalization comprehensively. By establishing an industrial system connecting “chain-leader enterprises + cooperatives (family farms) + production bases + farmers”, the city has transformed villages from “aid-based growth” to “self-sustaining growth”. Regions across Lvliang now cultivate distinctive local industries and foster modern agriculture alongside emerging rural business models, continuously activating endogenous driving forces for rural progress.

Linxian County has leveraged jujube-log shiitake mushroom cultivation to upgrade rural industrial chains, creating a demonstration zone integrating agriculture, culture, tourism, and wellness industries—featuring jujube-log shiitake mushroom farms, morel cultivation, employment services, R&D facilities, and agritourism. Zhongyang County vigorously develops black fungus industries, establishing modern agricultural parks as platforms to coordinate R&D centers, industrial zones, policy support systems, innovative cultivation methods, regional branding initiatives, and market expansion—propelling holistic development across the entire black fungus value chain.

These practices have not only improved livelihoods but also restructured rural economies, laying solid foundations for green transformation.

Green Industries: Pioneering New Avenues for High-Quality Development

Transitioning from a “coal capital” to a “green energy base,” Lvliang is fundamentally shifting from resource-dependent growth toward green-driven growth. Traditional coal industries continuously advance clean and efficient utilization, while cultivating and expanding emerging green sectors.

Xiaoyi City focuses on “hydrogen energy + energy storage + equipment manufacturing,” establishing a provincially leading new energy industrial cluster. Lishi District drives green upgrades in aluminum processing toward the circular economy and high-end manufacturing. Fenyang City integrates traditional liquor production with green manufacturing technologies, forging a new low-carbon, eco-friendly business model.

By developing green industrial parks, Lvliang attracts environmental equipment, eco-building materials, and renewable energy enterprises. This dual approach—simultaneously industrializing ecology and ecologizing industry—demonstrates to the world the city’s conviction and capability in green transformation.

Ecotourism + Cultural Integration: Catalyzing Green Development Through “Soft Power”

Nestled amidst breathtaking natural landscapes and profound historical heritage, Lvliang has pioneered an integrated development model of “ecology + culture + tourism” in recent years, transforming traditional resources into modern consumption experiences.

Along the Yellow River’s banks, Qikou Ancient Town—a nationally renowned historical and cultural gem—has been revitalized through conservation and innovative tourism offerings. Today, it thrives as a hotspot blending ancient trade route culture, Yellow River heritage, and youthful entrepreneurial energy. Meanwhile, regions like Liulin and Fenyang leverage revolutionary legacies and intangible cultural heritage to create immersive tourism products combining education, experiential activities, and leisure.

Lvliang further champions initiatives like “intangible heritage in scenic zones” and “cultural outreach to rural areas.” By empowering young creators to participate in the reshaping of rural culture and reinterpret rural traditions through contemporary expressions, the region presents the world with a vibrant, multifaceted portrait of China’s countryside.

Institutional & Talent Empowerment: Forging Endogenous Momentum for Sustainable Development

Sustainable development demands not only strategic choices but fundamental restructuring of institutions and human capital. As a pilot zone for resource-based urban transition, Lvliang is advancing institutional innovations to realize the value of ecological assets—including carbon sink trading, water rights mechanisms, and other market-driven approaches—turning “lucid waters and lush mountains” into “invaluable assets”.

Concurrently, Lvliang prioritizes talent retention and youth engagement. Initiatives like the “Lvliang Elite Program,” brand elevation for “Lvliang Mountain Homecare Practitioners,” and entrepreneurship incentives are drawing young professionals back to their hometown. Here, they discover purpose and career growth while driving green transformation at the grassroots level.

Lvliang’s metamorphosis epitomizes China’s regional rebalancing and sustainable revitalization of resource-dependent cities. It addresses domestic imperatives for economic optimization while offering a replicable paradigm for globally marginalized resource cities pursuing eco-modernization.

Amidst shared human challenges of climate governance and ecological civilization, Lvliang demonstrates how Chinese localities can leverage historical legacies to embrace the future—achieving win-win progress through transformative breakthroughs.

The author, Yang Shuying, is chief specialist at the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.