Anshan

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Anshan (鞍山; Ānshān) is the third largest prefecture level city in Liaoning Province in China. It is in the central area of the province about 92 km south of Shenyang, the province's capital. Anshan sits on the boundary between the mountains of eastern Liaoning and the plains of the west. The area contains the famous Qianshan Park National Park, Tangangzi Hot Spring Spa and the Jade Buddha Palace Temple. The city's name is derived form the shape of a nearby mountain (in Chinese 山; shān) that resembles the shape of a horse's saddle (鞍; Ān). Anshan is home to the Angang Iron and Steel Company, one of the largest steel producers in China. The area of Anshan has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In the Tang dynasty, the emperor of China lived in and around Anshan for a period of two years during the wars between China and the Goguryeo. Ansi city, in the south east of modern Anshan, was the scene of a large battle during those wars. During this time, many significant sites were established including the Hot Springs at Tangangzi and many temples in Qianshan. During the Ming Dynasty, a small fort was built in Anshan on the road from Haicheng to Liaoyang. This fort, and a nearby lookout tower are still visible today. The city however remained small and of little importance until the twentieth century.