Hanyang Iron Plant in early 1900s
While Zhang Zhidong was in Guangdong, he was determined to establish national iron and steel industry and started to order equipment from foreign companies.
When Zhang was appointed the viceroy of Hubei and Hubei province, he moved the equipment to Hubei with the agreement of Li Hongzhang, who thought iron steel industry an impossible task to achieve.
Zhang Zhidong set up Hube steel and iron bureau in May 1890. Hanyang Iron Plant started construction in 1891 and was put into production 2 years later. It was the biggest of its kind in Asia as well as earliest industrial enterprise in China.
Belgium technicians in Hanyang Iron Plant in 1894
Blast furnace workers
Hanyang Iron Plant was merged with Daye Iron Mining Plant and Pingxiang Mining Plant in 1908 by Sheng Xuanhuai.
The largest annual production of Hanyang Iron Plant hit 8,400 tons of iron.
Hanyang Iron Plant became a miracle in foreigners’ eyes. “It is so great and magnificent. It is the most modern plant in China”, Chords, US consul to Hankou of Wuhan once said.
Chimneys of Hanyang Iron Plant in 1911 marks the beginning of China’s modern industry
