The boom, bust, and rebirth of a small Yunnan city built atop mountains of tin
I emerge from the long, dark Tin Capital Tunnel, and even inside my car, it feels like the temperature has dropped 20 degrees. In Gejiu, Yunnan province, the streets are narrow and winding, dotted with complex traffic signs—the city is 85 percent mountains. I finally find a parking spot and march up Yunnan Tin North Road toward the grand lion statues guarding the front entrance of Yunnan Tin Group’s Gejiu headquarters. The building’s wall frescoes hint at Gejiu’s boom times. This company has been the largest tin producer in the world for decades.
Anson Zong-Liscum is the digital content manager at The World of Chinese. Originally from Colorado, he now lives in Yunnan where he often goes up the mountains to explore the province’s unique outdoors, enjoys testing out distinct ethnic dishes, and sipping on local Pu’er tea or coffee while updating his blog.
