TSAO-CHUANG

Pinyin Zaozhuang, city, southern Shantung sheng (province), China. The city includes an extensive area on the western flank of the southwestern spur of the Shantung Hills, to the east of the Grand Canal, that contains one of the most important coal-mining districts of eastern China. The coal deposits, which are of high-quality bituminous coal, suitable for coking, are connected with those of Chia-wang and Suchow in northern Kiangsu sheng. The mines were developed before World War II, and much of the production was distributed by rail and the canal to the Yangtze River valley. Under the Japanese occupation, coal production was increased, but, during the latter part of World War II, the mines were seriously damaged and ceased production. The Tsao-chuang mines were not brought back into production until 1954. They were then extensively modernized and mechanized, and by 1957 they had equaled prewar production and later exceeded it. The nearby city of Han-chuang, which has also been a mining centre since the early 1960s, lies south of Tsao-chuang on the Grand Canal. There has been some industrial development in the region, in addition to mining. Pop. (1985 est.) 269,400.