Miner's Dormitory Introduction
During the peak of mining in Huotong, numerous miner families moved here, and the miner dormitories were also referred to as "Liaozai." In Huotong, there were several dormitory areas including Neiliaozai, Sanzao Lia, Wuzuo Lia, Fanzilai, and Meiyuan House, all of which were workers' quarters. In the early days, most of the partitions were made of wooden boards, with a small hole in the wooden wall for an electric light serving two households. The kitchen, bathroom, and toilets were also shared. Although the buildings appeared to be two stories high, they were actually divided into three levels inside, with each small window space serving as a living area for a family. At that time, thousands of people lived in the miner dormitories, with children studying, sleeping, and eating all within the confines of these small windows. As the government ordered the closure of the mines one by one, a large population moved out of the area to live elsewhere, leaving only the original miner dormitories standing to convey the living conditions of miners to future generations.
