Shenhaijing Salt Well in Zigong
Shenhaijing Salt Well in Zigong Facts
Zigong Shenhai Salt Well is located in the foothills of Ruanjiaba Mountain in Da'an District. It covers an area of 3 acres and has an elevation of 341.4 meters. The well was excavated in Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty for three years (AD 1823), and it was chiseled in the 15th year of Daoguang (AD 1835).
Chinese Name: 自贡燊海井
Type: Salt Wells; Wells
Address: Da 'an District, Zigong City, Sichuan Province
Best Seasons: Spring and autumn, all year round.
Recommended Visiting Hours: about 1-2 hours
Opening Hours: February to October: Monday to Sunday 8:30-17:30
November to January: Monday to Sunday 8:30-17:00
Ticket: CNY 20
Why is Shenhaijing Salt Well So Special?
- Shenhaijing Salt Well in Zigong – the first 1000 m deep salt well in the world.
- In March 2018, Shenhaijing Scenic Spot was officially promoted to the national AAAA level.
- Shenhai Well is a symbol of the mature drilling technology in ancient China. Shenhai Well is the “living fossil” of the original method to produce well salt.
Brief Introduction of Shenhaijing Salt Well
Zigong Shenhai Salt Well is located in the foothills of Ruanjiaba Mountain in Da’an District. It covers an area of 3 acres and has an elevation of 341.4 meters. The well was excavated in Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty for three years (AD 1823), and it was chiseled in the 15th year of Daoguang (AD 1835). It lasted for 13 years and was completed. When the hole was drilled, the depth of the well was 1001.42 meters, and then several times deepened to reach the depth of the existing well of 1,100 meters. Shenhai Salt Well produces both halogen and gas.
History and Features of Shenhaijing Salt Well
Shenhai Well was excavated for three years (1823) in Qing Daoguang years. It was built in the 15th year of Daoguang (1835). It lasted for 13 years and the depth of the well was 1001.42 meters. It is the world’s first large well of over kilometer. After the well was drilled, more than 10,000 tons of black halogen were sprayed every day. More than 8,500 cubic meters of natural gas was produced per day, and more than 80 salt pans were burned. By 1940, more than 10,000 tons of black halogen were sprayed every day, and natural gas was 4,800 to 8,000 cubic meters. Shenhai Well has been in production for one and a half centuries since its establishment. Due to the lack of maintenance for a long time, the damage to underground facilities is very serious. Later, after repair, Shenhai Well can still produce about 1,500 cubic meters of natural gas per day.
According to relevant information, when the deep well was drilled for 11 years, Russia’s Semenov was drilled into a shallow well in 1846, and a small amount of well oil was produced. After another 13 years, Dirac of the United States drilled a 21.69-meter-deep well in August 1859, collecting only 1.8 tons of well oil from the well. From this point of view, the Chinese nation is not only a diligent and brave nation, but also has the ingenuity of the world.
Best Seasons to Visit Zigong
Zigong city belongs to subtropical monsoon climate and has four distinctive seasons of spring, summer, fall and autumn, with a yearly average temperature of 17-18℃. With enough rainfall, particularly in July and August, Zigong is humid all year round.
The best time to visit Zigong city is from May to August when the moderate weather is the most comfortable.
But Zigong Lantern festival is during late January and early March, around Spring Festival; Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Show is usually held from between January and March.( For detail date, please contact our travel consultant without hesitation.)
How to get to The Shenhaijing Salt Well
Travel with ChinaDragonTours (top recommended)
If you want to get out of the traffic and hassle of navigation, you can book a private tour package that includes visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local guide and driver will escort you to Shenhaijing Salt Well in Zigong in the fastest and mohst convenient way and take care of all the details. You just have to focus on the visiting.
Independent Traveler
By Flight
The airport in Zigong has not yet well constructed till today. There are two large international airports near this city for you choice. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport has opened more than 70 international airlines and Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has opened 58 airlines to and from Europe, American, Australia, and Asia…
By Train
Zigong Railway Station is located at the Ziliujing District that is the central area of the city. Since many high speed trains to and from Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Kunming, etc. stop here, it is very convenient to reach this city.
By Long-distance Bus
From Chengdu, you can take a long-distance bus to Zigong within 3 hours. You can buy a ticket in Beimen Bus Station for RMB84, Xinnanmen Bus Station for about RMB50 (to Zigong Dinosaur Museum), Chengdu Bus Terminal for about RMB85 or Shuangliu Airport Bus Station for about RMB86.
Getting Around
In Zigong city, taking a regular bus or a taxi to travel is very convenient and cheap. You can also find many long-distance buses to other cities like Luzhou, Yibin, Neijiang, Chengdu, Leshan, Emei, Mianyang, Nanchong, Chongqing, etc.
Useful Travel Tips
- Entrance Fee
For scattered tourists: adult ticket purchase: 20 yuan / person, students 1.3 meters or more with a student ID 10 yuan / person, 60 years old with a senior citizen’s card 10 yuan / person. (1.3 meters below children, 70 years old, disabled, Active military personnel, journalists with a press card, tour guides with a tour guide card for free); for group tourists: adult tickets for more than 16 purchases at a time, you can enjoy a discount ticket. - Telephone: 0813-5106214
- Accommodation
It is very easy to find a comfortable hotel or hostel to stay in Zigong, especially in the most prosperous Ziliujing District. You can choose the luxury Tanmulin Celebrity City Hotel of five-Star and some four-star hotels with pleasant services and superior equipment, such as the Zigong Huidong Hotel, Ying Xiang JinJiang Tower, Xiongfei Holiday Hotel, Vilu Reef International Hotel, Sophia Hotel, etc. Also, there are a lot of comfortable hotels of nice prices, like the 7 Days Inn Zigong Bus Station Branch near the bus station. But please remember that though the hotels in the downtown area will make your trip more convenient, it may be noisier at night.
