Tieling is abundant in water resources, Liao river system consisting of 87 rivers of different size with Liao River as core with total water resource of 3,141 billion cubic meters, of which 2.115billion cubic is available. It not only supplies living water for the rural and urban people but provides necessary conditions for agricultures and industries in the lower reaches.
Since the founding of the P.R.China, with more than fifty years of efforts, a comparatively complete conveyance system has primarily been developed with multi functions of retaining water, heading off flood and discharging flood, irrigation and drainage, generating electricity and cultivating. The four large scale reservoirs—Qinghe, Caihe, Nanchengzi, Zhenziling like four giant mirrors, and 78 middle and small reservoirs like shining pearls, beset on the land of north Liaoning. The total area the reservoirs cover is 6136.95 square kilometers, which completely changes the former situation that river dries up in shiny days and a heavy shower becomes flood. The province-famous Qinghe Reservoir compromises the merits of flood control, irrigation, water for industrial use, culturing fish, and tourism, it controls an area of 2376 square km and its maximum capacity is 971 millions cubic meter, and moreover it not only provides irrigation water for 52 thousand hectares of rice paddy over the area crossing the four cities of Shenyang, Anshan, Tieling and Panjin involved ten counties, but also supplies 0.8 billion cubic meters of water used for generating electricity for the largest thermal power plant in the northeast China—Qinghe Power Plant. Caihe Reservoir with capacity of 636 millions cubic meter is a famous tourist spot which ensures living water for urban people of Tieling and also provides 25 million cubic meters of water used for generating electricity for Tieling Power Plant which is key project of the State’s Eighth Five-year Plan.
Over recent years, mineral water have been found in a few places that has great significance of cultivation, they have drawn much attention of the state authorities concerned and figures home and abroad.
Mineral recources
Tieling is abundant in underground mineral deposits. There are 36 kinds of mineral that have been prospected distributing in more than 300 places. Coal resource is a great advantage of Tieling. The total amount of mineral reserve having prospected is 2.32 billions ton.
Coal resource is one of great advantages for Tieling. The total reserve having been prospected is 2.32 billion tons. The famous Tiefa Coal Mine, covering an area of 618.64 square km, having a storage of 2.25 billion ton, with coal bed of depth of burying of 500 meters in average and service length of 80 to 100 years, is one of the eight largest bases of coal production base in China. It has become most important energy base of Liaoning province. 2.93 billion m3 coal bed gas has been prospected over recently years.
There are 13 kinds of nonmetallic minerals, and 11places have been found and developed. There are proved reserve 0.3 billions tons of limestone, 2.44 million tons of white clay, 10 million tons of ceramic clay, 3 million tons of tabular spar with future reserve of 5 million tons which is one of top quality ores in Asia. There are 25 million tons of face granite, 0.2 billion tons of marble and 5 million tons of baudisserite. The face marbles---Tieling Hong, also called Northeast Hong, is one of rare decorative building materials, featuring in having concentric oval structure, the marbles are famous for their particular purplish red color and rich in their varied decorative patterns, enjoy good reputation in market home and abroad. Besides there are metallic reserves such as copper, iron, lead, zinc and gold.
Forest Resource
Tieling locates in the crossing area between temperate broadleaved deciduous forest zone and temperate coniferous-broadleaved mingled forest zone. There are about 1400 forest categories, among which there are 300 kinds of arbor and bush trees. There are 0.46 million ha. of forest land occupying 24.8 of total, per capita share is 0.18 ha., the forest coverage is 32.58%. And the forest reserve is 17.50 million m3, per capita forest reserve is 7.0 m3. They are mainly broadleaved and deciduous trees. Among broadleaved trees, oak dominates above other trees like poplar, willow, birch, locust, elm, ashtree, walnut. The coniferous trees are mainly planted trees and mostly are dahurian larch, then Korean pine, Chinese pine, pinus syvestris var. mongolica come in turn. The annual output of wood is 40,000 m3. Xifeng County, Kaiyuan City and the eastern part of Tieling County belong to offset of Changbai Mountain Range, where is ideal to develop forestry.
Local specialties
Tieling is abundant in local specialties and is of great potential to develop. Till now there are 68 kinds of animals, mouse, snakes and frogs, which occupies 59.6% of the whole province’s species. The common kinds are wolf, fox, roe deer, badger, leopard cat, hare, yellow weasel, hedgehog. There are 220 kinds of birds, which occupies 60.3% of the total province’s. The common kinds are egret, woodpecker, grey magpie, jaypie, lark, hoopoe and Sanbao chicken. There are 119 families and over 1100 species of wild plants, which occupies half of the total province’s, among which nearly 100 kinds with significant economic value have been recognized, including yangtao, mountain grapes, haw, sorb, fern, mushroom, edible tree fungi, mountain ginseng, the root of Chinese wild ginger, radix platycodi, radix sileris, the fruit of Chinese magnoliavine and Rhizoma Diocoreate Nipponicae. According to a survey, there are a plenty of known species having not been utilized awaiting to be developed.
There are also a lot well-known artificial local specialties inTieling. Green Chinese onions of Tieling are famous for their single pear, large size, pungent and fragrant flavour. Single weight is usually between 200 and 300g, the maximum weight is 500g, the maximum yield per mu is 5000kg. Garlic of Kaiyuan originates from Hu Garlic with a history of over 300 years, cross spacing of head of the garlic is 4-5cm while longitudinal spacing is 3.5-4.5cm, the average yield per mu is 500kg above with the maximum of 900kg. The colour of coating is reddish violet, the flavour tastes strong pungent, it is featured in large size, less cloves and great viscosity. There are 70g of water, 4.4g of protein, 0.2g of fat, 23g sugar and 111 kcal of heat in each 100g of garlic head. Besides, they also have medical significance. There are propylene sulfide elements which can eliminate fat accumulated in blood vessel, lessen hear attack and reduce cholesterol.
Huo Goose of Changtu features in small bodily form, compact structure, white feather, small head and thin neck. An adult male goose weighs 4.5kg while female goose weighs 3.6kg. It is famous with high egg production and large size eggs. The annual egg production is 120 with maximum of 180. An egg weighs 110-130g in average. The quality of egg is fine and tasty without unpleasant smell. According to Liaoning Animal Husbandry Research Institute, the egg production and single weight of Changtu Huo Goose are superior to other species from other areas of China, thus is determined as local fine breed goose of Liaoning. In the meeting of “Hometowns of the First One Hundred Chinese Local Specialties of China”, Changtu County was officially named “Hometown of China’s Huo Goose by Agriculture Science Society of China and Development Research Center of the State Council. Tieling has over 300 years of history of cultivating hawthorns, main production areas are Kaiyuan, Xifeng and Tieling counties. They taste sour and sweet with rich nutrition, content of vitamin C is as much as 17 times of apples. Kaiyuan hawthorn was specified court tribute in seventeenth year of Kangxi of Qing Dynasty and now is one of the national quality varieties.
Filberts of Kaiyuan feature in big body, thin coating and high old content, Hongshi Village was appointed as “Royal Filbert Garden during the years of Emperor Hangxu. At present, there are 7000 ha. of filbert forest with annual production of 2.5 to 3 million kg. well-known ginsengs and deer antlers of Xifeng are welcome in international markets including Japan, Korea, Europe and USA.
Tourism resources
Tieling is abundant in scenic spots and human sights with convenient transportation, which is an ideal traveling place.
There are four major scenery areas including Longshou Mountain, Maofeng Mountain, Caihe Reservoir and Qinghe Reservior, among which, Longshou Mountain is most famous, it abuts on the enceinte to the west and River Cai to the east, runs across Yinzhou District from south to north with length of 5km like a giant dragon. The mountain is decorated with blossoms of cherry, peach, almond and pear all over in spring, many birds are attracted here by green grass and trees in summer, bold pines and red leaves of maples add its charm in autumn, and looks grand by endless white snow in winter. Adding up with ancient architectures of booths, towers and pavilion, the whole site seems like landscape painting. Emperor Kangxi wrote a poem praising the scenery on his east tour” The famous Temple Ciqing situates at the top of northern part, originally built in Tang Dynasty and named Temple Xiufeng, Temple Shuichao and called Temple Ciqing. The whole temple is a courtyard house consisting of main hall, two wing halls in the east and west, and Tower Zhuiwong (drunk man). There are sculptures of Buddha, Mother Buddha Kuan-yi, the 18 arhats and other characters in the main hall. Tower Zhuiwong was a place where officers and gentry drink wine and view sceneries.
Tieling has a long history with lots of historical sites, like site of Chengzishan Mountain Town of Xifeng, Pagoda Chongshou of Kaiyuan, Temple Yuantong and White Pagoda of Yinzhou District, the site of stone cavity of New Stone Ages in Mount. Maofeng, and Temple Ciqing, Pagoda Xiufeng and Pagoda Zhubi. There are two large reservoirs named Caihe and Qinghe with splendid landscape. Qinghe Traveling Area incorporates functions of hotel, recreation and travel where is ideal to travel and spend holidays.
Tieling is a remarkable place producing outstanding people. Cao Xueqin and Gao E --- coauthors of great works Dream of Red Mansions, Gao Qipei---the founder of finger painting, Li Chengliang, a great general who defend Liao during Ming Dynasty, Ren fuchen---the first colonel of Chinese Regiment of Soviet Red Army were all from Tieling. The beloved Premier Zhou Enlai once studied in Tieling Yingang School when he was a child. The nowadays school has become Site of Comrade Zhou Enlai’s Childhood Schooling. Many state and party leaders have visited it, including Li Xiannian, Deng Yincao, Yu Qiuli, Yang Shangkun, Hu Yaobang and Li Peng etc..
Tieling Municipal Government and Party Committee have made decision to rank Longshou Mountain Landscape Area and Qinghe Traveling Development Zone as key development projects. Tieling will receive travelers from home and abroad with warm welcome by its more beautiful charm.