Last night, the 2025 Beijing Xishan Yongding River Cultural Festival kicked off at Shougang Park, with the No. 3 Blast Furnace once again hosting the Blast Furnace Concert, offering audiences a spectacular cultural feast. From its debut in 2021 to the five-year commitment in 2025, the Blast Furnace Concert has evolved from a single performance into a « golden name card » of Beijing’s culture, also witnessing the development of the Xishan Yongding River Cultural Belt over the past five years.

At 7:30 PM, at the foot of Xishan Mountain and along the banks of the Yongding River, the No. 3 Blast Furnace in Shougang Park was adorned with dazzling light displays as a diverse and cross-disciplinary immersive concert began. The concert, themed « Eternal Mountains and Rivers, Peaceful Homeland, » was divided into two parts: « Red Memories » and « Colorful Future, » using melodies to connect the inheritance of national spirit with the pulse of contemporary development.

The creative team fully utilized the steel structure of the No. 3 Blast Furnace, transforming it into a « breathing stage. » Using lighting projection technology, they simulated the flames of war resistance with red光影 on the furnace walls, outlined the flowing轨迹 of the Yongding River with blue波纹, and created a sense of technological futurism with golden beams. The interior of the blast furnace was equipped with a surround sound system, creating an immersive audio experience that allowed the audience to feel the dialogue between history and the present through the integration of sound, light, and electricity.

Shougang Park, home to the Blast Furnace Concert, has undergone continuous transformation in recent years, riding the momentum of the Olympics. It has experienced three major shifts: from mountains to sea, from fire to ice, and from factory to park, becoming a new landmark of urban renewal in the capital for the « Together for a Shared Future » era. The No. 3 Blast Furnace has been revitalized and upgraded into a platform for premier launches and exhibitions; the No. 1 Blast Furnace has been transformed into the So-Real Sci-Fi Paradise, with the China Sci-Fi Conference held continuously, leading to the rise of a « sci-fi city » in western Beijing; the China International Fair for Trade in Services has established its permanent venue in Shougang Park, and the No. 4 Blast Furnace has been magnificently repurposed into the Shougang International Convention and Exhibition Center, becoming a new highlight in the sustainable reuse of industrial heritage.

To the west of Shougang Park, along the Yongding River, the Yongding River Collection integrates natural landscapes, industrial heritage, and fashionable commerce, creating a vibrant waterfront shoreline that blends water, beaches, banks, and the city. This autumn, it has provided citizens and tourists with a relaxing experience, and climbing Shijingshan Mountain has allowed more people to learn about the origin of Shijingshan District’s name. During the WTT event, new consumption scenes like the Yongding River Collection and train restaurants attracted nearly 40,000 visitors.

As a cultural gem on the Xishan Yongding River Cultural Belt, the Moshikou Historical and Cultural Block quickly became a popular打卡 spot in western Beijing after its opening on September 29, 2021. The Xishan Cuilin Tea House has been transformed into the Fahai Temple Mural Art Museum, the Laoye Temple has been updated into the Moshikou Historical and Cultural Folk Exhibition Hall « Ancient Path Preservation, » and more courtyards have been renovated, with boutique coffee shops, homestays, and餐饮 brands continuously moving in. The street has gathered 15 scenic spots, 30 courtyards, and over a hundred shops. In 2024, Moshikou received over 6 million visitors, and earlier this year, it was recognized as a national-level tourism and leisure block.

To showcase the development achievements of the Xishan Yongding River Cultural Belt over the past five years, from now until the end of October during the cultural festival, the Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau will launch the « Mountain and River Heritage Journey » series of live broadcasts, visiting three cultural heritage sites along the belt: Yunju Temple, Fahai Temple, and Chengen Temple, focusing on cultural relic protection, digital displays, and cultural creativity.

Eight districts along the cultural belt will also simultaneously carry out various thematic activities. The Shijingshan Academy will open, building on the historical底蕴 of the Xishan Yongding River Cultural Belt with the宗旨 of « inheriting cultural heritage and nurturing the soul, » creating a cultural space that integrates典籍 collection, academic research, cultural exchange, and public reading, injecting « bookish energy » into the inheritance and innovation of the cultural belt.

Shougang Park

Shougang Park is a former industrial steelworks complex in Beijing that has been transformed into a public urban park and a key venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Originally built in 1919, the site was relocated ahead of the 2008 Summer Games to improve the city’s air quality. It now features a striking blend of preserved industrial architecture, modern additions, and green spaces, symbolizing Beijing’s shift from heavy industry to a service and innovation-based economy.

No. 3 Blast Furnace

The No. 3 Blast Furnace is a decommissioned industrial landmark located at the former Wuhan Iron and Steel Group in China. It was a central part of the country’s major steel production efforts during the mid-20th century, beginning operation in 1958. Preserved as a museum, it now stands as a monument to China’s industrial heritage and the era of rapid industrialization.

Xishan Mountain

Xishan Mountain, also known as Western Hills, is a scenic area located on the western outskirts of Kunming in Yunnan Province, China. Historically, it has been renowned for its lush forests, temples, and panoramic views of Dianchi Lake, with cultural sites dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is often called the « Sleeping Beauty Mountain » due to its resemblance to a reclining figure when viewed from the city.

Yongding River

The Yongding River is a major river in northern China that flows through the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hebei Province, and Beijing. Historically known as the « Wuding He » (Unfixed River) due to its frequent and devastating flooding, it was later renamed « Yongding » (Eternal Stability) during the Qing Dynasty after extensive water conservancy projects were implemented to control its flow. Today, it is a vital water source for the region and its ecological restoration is a key environmental focus.

Moshikou Historical and Cultural Block

The Moshikou Historical and Cultural Block is a well-preserved ancient neighborhood in Beijing that dates back over 700 years to the Yuan Dynasty. Located along the old transportation route for coal from Mentougou, it flourished as a vital commercial hub during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today, it features traditional courtyard homes, historic temples, and old shops, offering a glimpse into Beijing’s historical urban fabric and mercantile past.

Fahai Temple

Fahai Temple is a Ming Dynasty Buddhist temple located in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, China. It is renowned for its exquisite Ming-era murals, particularly those in the Mahavira Hall, which are considered masterpieces of Chinese Buddhist art. The temple was built between 1439 and 1443 under the patronage of the eunuch Li Tong.

Yunju Temple

Yunju Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Fangshan District, Beijing, China, renowned for its collection of stone sutras. Founded in the late Sui Dynasty (around 605-616 CE) by the monk Jingwan, it was created to preserve Buddhist scriptures from potential destruction. The temple is famous for its over 14,000 stone slabs inscribed with Buddhist texts, which were carved over centuries as a form of spiritual protection.

Chengen Temple

Chengen Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. It was originally constructed during the Tang Dynasty and is renowned for its well-preserved ancient architecture and cultural relics. The temple serves as an important site for Buddhist worship and is a significant historical landmark in the region.