Pingdingshan

Pingdingshan sits in central Henan at the eastern foot of the Funiu Mountains and takes its name, flat-topped mountain, from a nearby mesa. Founded in the 1950s around vast coal reserves, it is one of the Central Plains' major energy and heavy-industry bases, often called simply Coal City. Within its Lushan County stands the Spring Temple Buddha, a gilded statue of Vairocana that at 128 meters is among the tallest statues in the world. The forested peaks and hot springs of Mount Yao make the area a popular mountain resort. The historic town of Ruzhou was one of the birthplaces of Ru ware, the most prized of the Song dynasty's imperial porcelains. High-speed rail links Pingdingshan to Zhengzhou and Wuhan.