Exploring a Lost Town in Far Western China, Deserted Dream

In this episode, we’ve arrived at Sandaoling, a town that began to thrive in the 1950s due to coal mining, and one of the last places in China to use steam locomotives. However, what draws me here is not just the town itself, but the ruins born out of China’s planned economy era, and the story behind them. How did this place go from prosperity to decline? How did coal mining shape the lives of the people here, and where did they all go? These homes carry the memories of several generations — will they continue to stand in this vast, desolate desert?

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:36 Inside Houyao
3:07 The dormitory
4:44 abandoned courtyard
7:28 steam locomotives & coal mining
9:10 Climbing into steam train
12:45 Town from the 80s
14:38 The End

#explorechina #Sandaoling #SteamLocomotive #architecture #Palace #discovery #WORLDS #GREATEST #WGP #travel #ART