To understand how a steel city reinvents itself, don't look at its factories — look at how it restored the land that once fueled its growth.

For a century, from 1917 to 2017, the Washan Iron Mine produced 210 million tons of high-grade iron ore. Known as the "breadbasket of Masteel", it powered half of East China's industry.

Today, this former mine has been transformed into a scenic park, a place where visitors can admire its beauty, unaware of the century of mining beneath their feet.

From extraction to restoration — this is what green transformation looks like.

For 24 years, the Yangtze River was more than a waterway for Chen Lanxiang; it was her home, her workplace, and the center of her life.

Married in 1995, Chen, known locally as San Jie, or "third sister", spent more than two decades living aboard a modest fishing boat moored at Xuejiawa on the eastern bank of the Yangtze in Ma'anshan, Central China's Anhui province.

"We lived a hard life on the boat, enduring scorching summers and freezing winters," Chen recalled.

Her days often began long before dawn. Rising at 1 or 2 am, she and her husband cast their nets in the darkness, then hurried to deliver the night's catch to market vendors by 5 am. Every day depended on the weather, the river, and a little luck.

Life became even harder as the Yangtze's ecology deteriorated.

At the time, Xuejiawa's shoreline was crowded with more than 200 fishing boats, illegal docks, shantytowns, polluting factories, and piles of solid waste. More than 50 fishing families squeezed out a living there as the once-clear waters became increasingly polluted.

"The fish kept getting smaller and fewer," Chen said. "Sometimes there were hardly any left to catch."

Years of overfishing, coupled with pollution and intensive shoreline development, had taken a heavy toll on the Yangtze's ecosystem. Once home to abundant aquatic life, the river saw fish resources decline sharply.

To reverse the ecological decline, China launched a landmark 10-year fishing ban across key waters of the Yangtze River Basin. Fully implemented in 2021, the ban aimed to allow fish populations to recover, restore biodiversity and safeguard the long-term ecological health of China's longest river. The initiative also included resettlement and employment support programs to help fishermen transition to new careers.

For Chen, the transition began even earlier.

In May 2019, Anhui province launched a fisherman resettlement initiative as part of its efforts to protect the Yangtze. Xuejiawa became one of the first places to begin the transformation.

Leaving the river, however, was one of the hardest decisions she had ever faced.

"I really couldn't bear to leave," she said. "We had no other skills and didn't know how we would survive on land."

Her husband initially refused to sign the resettlement agreement. It was only after repeated visits from local officials — who explained the policies, promised employment support, arranged for their children to attend nearby schools, and secured retirement pensions — that the family finally decided to take the leap.

"Today, each retired fisherman receives a monthly pension of 530 to 590 yuan (about $75 to $85), providing a basic safety net as they begin life ashore," she said.

The decision to leave her fishing boat behind opened the door to an entirely new life.

With government support, her family moved into a new apartment, replacing their cramped boat cabin with a real home complete with separate rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

"My life has changed dramatically since settling ashore," she said with a smile. "I now work regular hours from 8 am to 5 pm. After dinner, I can go downstairs for a walk or dance in the square. We no longer worry about storms or strong winds."

Leaving fishing also led Chen to discover a new calling.

Supported by rent-free business premises for five years and a fully renovated office, she established the "San Guniang" (Third Sister) Labor Service Company.

Now serving as its general manager, Chen oversees teams responsible for market cleaning, road sanitation, and landscaping maintenance. Over the past five years, the company has helped many former fishermen build stable new livelihoods while distributing a total of 900,000 yuan ($133,000) in dividends to its members.

"At first, I felt lost," she said. "But, by working together, our lives have steadily improved. I even bought my own apartment and built a real home. Now I feel hopeful about the future."

The river itself has undergone an equally remarkable transformation.

Today, water quality in the Ma'anshan section of the Yangtze has consistently reached Class II standards. Fish populations have rebounded. The polluted banks of Xuejiawa, once lined with illegal docks and factories, have been transformed into a scenic ecological park that attracts visitors from across the region.

Where Chen once tied up her fishing boat, tourists now stop to admire sweeping river views.

Today, Chen protects the river that once sustained her.

As president of the Yushan Branch of the Ma'anshan Civilian Enterprise River Chief Federation, she patrols the Jiuhua Village embankment with fellow former fishermen, helping safeguard the Yangtze River and promote the fishing ban.

"We fishermen have depended on this river for generations," she said. "Even though we no longer fish, our emotional bond with it has never changed. It is our responsibility to protect our mother river. We also encourage people to respect the fishing ban and discourage illegal fishing."

Looking ahead, Chen hopes the next generation will cherish the river's recovery while making use of its restored abundance responsibly.

"The fish are multiplying rapidly now," she said. "When the 10-year fishing ban eventually ends, I hope our children will be able to fish again under scientific management and government guidance. I think that would be the best future for both the river and the people who depend on it."

China's drone technology isn't just impressive, it's already making a difference far beyond its borders.

From seeding and firefighting to protecting the Amazon rainforest, drones are being used across agriculture, emergency response, and environmental conservation around the globe. Check out the video to find out more!

Drone coffee delivery isn't sci-fi anymore — it's a reality in China. The tech itself isn't the hard part; the real magic is safely navigating hundreds of drones through crowded cities and around power lines simultaneously. This requires years of research, regulation, AI, and big data—areas where China excels. Check out the video to find more. 

Where should foreign friends in China meet for a deep, leisurely tour? Lin Zirui, a Russian student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, says Anhui is a perfect place to slowly enjoy the beautiful scenery and also immerse yourself in the ancient local culture. Anhui awaits your rendezvous in China. Click this video to hear more.

Niu Xinyi contributed to the story.

In Jingxian county, Anhui province — the birthplace of xuan paper — the China Xuan Paper Museum offers an immersive journey into one of China's oldest artistic traditions. Renowned for its smooth texture, remarkable durability, and ability to preserve artworks for centuries, xuan paper has long been the preferred medium for Chinese painting and calligraphy.

Inspired by layered sheets of xuan paper, the museum's distinctive architecture incorporates local architectural elements and blends beautifully with the surrounding paper-drying yards. Inside, discover the centuries-old papermaking process, admire rare historic paper, priceless collections, and masterpieces of Chinese painting and calligraphy, and gain a deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship that has shaped Chinese art for over a thousand years.

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Travel with ease in China, and with meaning.

Wrapped in drifting mist and surrounded by lush emerald mountains, Guniujiang Scenic Area in Chizhou, Anhui province is home to an ancient village of white-washed walls and dark-tiled roofs. This national nature reserve, once known as "Western Huangshan Mountain", takes its name from a cluster of peaks said to resemble an ox stretching toward the sky. Nestled deep within the mountains, Yan Family Ancient Village preserves the distinctive architecture and cultural heritage of southern Anhui through its ancestral halls, historic residences, and century-old relics.

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Travel with ease in China, and with meaning.

Sanhe Ancient Town in Hefei, Anhui, is a classic Jianghuai (including parts of Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu and Hubei provinces) water town shaped by the convergence of three rivers. White-walled homes line the canals, ancient stone bridges arch over the water, and black-awning boats drift past Wangyue Pavilion.

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Travel with ease in China, and with meaning.

For centuries, ink has occupied a unique place in Chinese literary culture, revered as one of the "four treasures of the study" alongside the brush, paper and inkstone. But behind the elegant black strokes of classical calligraphy lies a demanding craft shaped by smoke, pine soot and generations of family labor in Anhui province — once the historic center of China's tribute ink industry.

That world returns to the screen in The Heir, a new costume drama that premiered on Sunday on China Central Television's CCTV-8 and the streaming platform iQiyi, weaving together family rivalries, political intrigue and the artistry of traditional ink-making.

Set during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the series opens with a scandal involving tribute ink supplied to the imperial court, an incident that upends Huizhou's once-thriving ink trade. The prestigious Li family, long respected for its craftsmanship, falls from grace, while the rival Luo family rises to prominence before becoming ensnared in political turmoil of its own.

At the center of the story is Li Zhen, the youngest daughter of the eighth lineage of the Li family, portrayed by actress Yang Zi. Forced to make a living after her family's decline, she enters the male-dominated ink trade and gradually emerges as an unlikely force within the industry. Her path crosses with Luo Wenqian, the ambitious second son of the Luo family, whose attempts to restore his family's fortunes reshape the ink business landscape.

While the drama follows the conventions of historical family sagas, it also displays Anhui's regional cultures, showcasing Huizhou Opera, Anhui cuisine, ornate wood and stone carvings, and the white-walled, black-tiled architecture that defines traditional Huizhou villages.

Told largely through a woman's perspective, The Heir reframes a world historically dominated by men, portraying Li Zhen not simply as a survivor of family collapse, but as a determined woman seeking independence through craftsmanship — a theme producers hope will resonate with contemporary audiences.

With its gross domestic product rising by 5.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, the eastern province of Anhui has made a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, according to the province's top official.

Wang Qingxian, governor of Anhui, said the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation will continue to serve as the core engine driving the province's high-quality development.

He made the remarks during a news conference in Hefei, the provincial capital, on Friday.

During an inspection tour of the province in 2024, President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged Anhui to establish itself as an important hub of sci-tech innovation, a center for emerging industries, a new frontier for reform and opening-up, and a comprehensive green transformation zone for socioeconomic development.

Concrete examples highlight the province's successful integration of technology and industry.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, Anhui's GDP reached 5.3 trillion yuan ($776 billion), while its industrial revenue ranked fifth nationwide at 5.9 trillion yuan.

Enterprises have served as the main drivers of innovation, with more than 80 percent of research and development investment coming from high-tech companies, which have expanded faster than expected.

The previous five-year plan set a target of increasing the number of national-level high-tech enterprises in the province to more than 13,000 by the end of 2025. The actual figure exceeded 24,000 by then.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Anhui identified 10 sectors as strategic emerging industries, which accounted for 45.4 percent of industrial output by the end of 2025, laying a solid foundation for the integration of technology and industry, Wang said.

To further transform innovation advantages into industrial strength, the provincial government said it will upgrade its strategic emerging industries.

Four industries will retain their names: next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, high-end equipment manufacturing, and new materials. Another four industries have been renamed intelligent connected new energy vehicles, new energy and green low-carbon, smart home, and biomedicine and high-end medical equipment.

The digital creativity and green food industries have been replaced by the robotics industry and the low-altitude economy and aerospace industry.

Meanwhile, the province will cultivate 10 future industries, including quantum technology and embodied intelligence, upgrade eight traditional industries through technological transformation, and develop eight modern service sectors.

According to Wang, strategic emerging industries are those with a solid foundation, while future industries are those in which the province enjoys a first-mover advantage.

Quantum computers such as Jiuzhang, Zuchongzhi and Wukong, which have frequently made headlines, were developed by teams in Hefei.

Public information shows that the province is now home to dozens of quantum technology companies.

Anhui will provide more funding, talent and policy support to enterprises and encourage leading companies to establish innovation consortiums, allowing enterprises to help determine research directions and make key decisions, according to the news conference on Friday.

zhulixin@chinadaily.com.cn

In Hefei, capital city of East China's Anhui province, robots are going to "college" — not for math or physics, but for real-world training.

At this unique pre-training venue for embodied artificial intelligence robots in Hefei, human "teachers" guide nearly 100 robots through replicas of factories, supermarkets and family homes to learn tasks such as sorting, grasping and tidying, fed by massive amounts of action data.

Check how global content creators reacted — their amazement says it all.