Visit the former site of the steel factory in Yingchao

If I don’t go to work today, I will go to the county town to do some errands. It was only half past nine after I finished my work, and I suddenly had an urge! I just want to go to Beanyang Village, south of the county seat, to visit the former site of Yingchao Steel Plant. Because, since I wrote the series of memoirs "Remembering My Uncle's Life" here, it has aroused reactions and cries from some old workers. In particular, I came across a series of masterpieces with precious and nostalgic significance, such as "Old Photos of Yingchao Iron Factory" and "Interviews with Figures of Yingchao Iron Factory" published by Jian's friend Liu Aiguo (a famous photojournalist in our county). Among those precious photography works, looking at the old photos with a sense of age, I was moved and admired by those that reflected the dedication and hard work of the older generation of working class. Originally, I thought that since the factory closed down, all the old sites must have been demolished, right? Unexpectedly, the gate facing the iron factory in the photo is still there! The original factory office building, administrative center, workers club and other buildings are clearly visible in the photos. It further aroused my idea of ??visiting this closed state-owned enterprise that was famous in the last century.

So, I took bus No. 4 at the bus station to Bei Anyang Village, and went to Yingchao Iron Works to look for my uncle’s footprints during his lifetime...

Before ten o’clock, we arrived in Bei Anyang After getting off the bus in the village, I soon found out about the former site of Yingchao Iron Works. So, I couldn't hold back my excitement and walked quickly to the old site...

When I saw the factory gate, I couldn't help but strongly evoked my memory... During the summer vacation in 1994, I once I lived in Yingchao Iron Works, which was in its heyday for more than ten days, and it left a deep impression on me. It has been more than 20 years, but the old appearance is still the same. Opposite the factory gate is the highway bridge leading to Nananyang Village, which is still the same as it was 23 years ago.

The gate of Yingchao Iron and Steel Plant stands quietly like that, as if telling the world about the past storms and glory of this factory...

Arriving in front of the factory gate, I was still hesitant about whether I dared to go in. I looked at the guard room behind the gate and heard someone talking, but no one came out to check and stop me. So I felt relieved and entered the factory area naturally.

Standing on the factory avenue opposite the gate, looking to the right, the original Workers’ Club building is still there, but the five red characters “Employees’ Club” on the roof are missing. Now it has been replaced by a ceramics company. Rented by the enterprise.

Looking to the left, sure enough, the factory office and administrative building still has the factory sign hanging on it. Although the company has closed down, there is still a leadership team responsible for the affairs.

Beside the small garden planted with landscaped flowers and trees on one side of the avenue, there is still the iron fence of the past. The iron panda sculptures welded on it may have been regularly maintained, and the paint is very fresh. Those "pandas" are clear in black and white.

Walking further, you can see the blackboard bulletin board with safety slogans and policies unique to that era, which is very period!

I remember that in 1994, the left side of the avenue was the staff restaurant and dormitories, as well as bathrooms and basketball courts. Now there is no trace of it. It was built into a finished product warehouse by a ceramics factory.

At the end of the avenue, there is the overpass leading to the production area. But the overpass was long gone. I climbed to the top of the demolished bridge slope and was shocked to see this scene! The blast furnaces and production workshops where fans once roared and molten iron flowed were reduced to nothing and razed to the ground.

Now, it has been replaced by a thermal power plant owned by Jinmei Energy Group.

Looking at all this, I really lament that time flies by and the buildings are empty!

I noticed several old men and women sunbathing in front of a dormitory building in the living area. I think these people must be some of the old workers in "Interviews with Figures of Yingchao Iron Factory" written by Teacher Liu Aiguo who are still living in this old factory that they were once proud of, right? I walked up and struck up a conversation with an old man about seventy years old. After only a few words, the old man couldn't control his excitement when he learned about my purpose. He told me endlessly about his experience in this factory. The glory and hesitation of life...

"Alas! Nothing is gone, and an old worker like me is almost dead..." As he spoke, the old man revealed a lot of emotion and helplessness.

The large factory that once covered an area of ??100 acres now only has less than half of its original living area. Walking on Central Avenue, looking at the chronological factory buildings with gray bricks and gray tiles on both sides, I couldn't help but think of a post I saw on the Baidu Tieba in Yangcheng a few years ago called "This place used to be prosperous". Using old photos to show the yesterday of Yingchao Steel Plant, the author is also teacher Liu Aiguo.

There was nothing to miss, so he left in a hurry. Because "the only constant in this world is change"! Those who fail to adapt to the trends and sudden changes of the times can only be run over by the wheels of history!

After leaving the factory gate, I looked back and saw that the factory’s original medical room has now been privately owned and serves the common people.

2017.11.26 ? Record of the trip to the former site of Yingchao Steel Plant