Wanbailin Ecology Park, with viewing decks, orchards and 1,000 hectares of mountainous terrain, is now the most popular keep-fit park for residents of Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province.

Seven years ago, the area at the west end of the city's main avenue featured a large landfill of industrial refuse and household garbage; it was pocked by numerous small coal pits and contained more than 10,000 graves.

The city government has invested nearly 500 million yuan ($78 million) since 2008 to transform the area into a public park that now attracts 6 million visitors a year.