Frozen in time, exploring a 25 year abandoned industrial site with many features

🎁📚Check out my new coffeetable book with a lot of military installations, ships, industrial places and other amazing abandoned places: exploringtheunbeatenpath.myon... 🎁📚
In this episode I am back in China with Robin and Charles and we embark on a journey to a gigantic abandoned industrial wonderland. On this site we explore a power station, the production halls of the paper mill, a lab and much more. Despite being abandoned for 25 years, the factory remained in a remarkable good state. An industrial wonderland frozen in time.
Silk mill state factory episode: • Exploring Communist st...
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#abandoned #lostplaces #urbex

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

🎁📚Check out my new coffeetable book with a lot of military installations, ships, industrial places and other amazing abandoned places: exploringtheunbeatenpath.myonline.store/ 🎁📚

[@vlad_tapes]

Something that I think is great about this channel is that they show the moments of how they enter the places. Not everyone shows that👌

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Thanks! It’s part of the fun🙂

[@petershen6924]

Online sources say that even in 1990, the factory was still in good financial condition. However, by 1999, it was out competed because the products they made, such as carbon transfer paper and cigarette paper, were outdated and factory kept losing $$$. As a result, the local government could not keep up with the subsidies and the factory has to cease production. During the existence of the factory, it was the proud of the city and it employed many local residents and had its own kindergarten and schools.

[@HippyRoss.]

Interesting post thanks

[@mcrary100]

what city was it in? I think i have an aunt that may have worked there?

[@petershen6924]

​@@mcrary100淮南，安徽省

[@woody5109]

So like what’s going to happen to EVs when government subsidies stop. Good to know.

[@mcrary100]

@@petershen6924 wow yeah it is the same factory my aunt worked at 40 years ago!

[@takingthebackroadhome]

Epic! you could spend a month exploring this location and still not see everything. Nice to see such a location untouched by vandalism.

[@erics320]

I think there is vandalism, its just so huge and in a state of neglect we can not see it clearly. But all the broken windows and busted doors are a sign of people breaking in.

[@jepolch]

Bob, my condolences on your father's passing. We expect them to always be there and it's very hard when they are no long with us. Take care and thanks for all the videos. Best wishes for the New Year!

[@zeberdee1972]

35:15 those kind of screws or worms as we called them we used to use them to move flour and product mixes through pipes , I used to work in a flour mill back in the late 80's .They don't look like it but they were incredibly sharp and I heard a horror story of one lad that lost his arm from the elbow , he still worked there when I was there but had attachable fittings to do various jobs . He had lifted the cover off one of the worms to clear a blockage when it started up with his arm in it . There was a few lads that had missing fingers to for pretty much the same reasons , glad to say when I started working there we pad locked the isolation switch off until any work was complete .

[@maxiumgolf1]

I enjoy your films because you leave things untouched but you selflessly serve the experience of investigation of history. Thank you for your content

[@HippyRoss.]

Bob has the agility of a cat and the dexterity of an octopus 😂 Another great exploration I look forward to your Sunday uploads

[@erics320]

If there was an abandoned complex like this over here in the Netherlands it would be stripped bare of any metals. Copper wires and aluminium bring a nice price and even steel is valuable and will be stolen if its not to difficult to remove.

[@Ranger_Kevin]

It is beautiful to see such amazing decay without a lot of vandalism

[@zeberdee1972]

34:09 these old phones I remember from when I joined the Air Force back in 90 , very similar to what was our crash alarm . There was a cover placed over the dial as you mostly only ever answered it but you could pick up if you saw some thing and initiate an emergency call . Those phones we used back then didn't have a ring tone but was linked to the crash alarm which would sound in Air Traffic Control , The Fire Station and Medical Centre . How ever im old enough to remember these old phones at home and in pay phone boxes . Blast from the past .

[@roelvansabben9917]

12:51 , 14:56 : Me the whole episode. This is absolutely insane stuff my guy. I love the added part of intoducing Charles and Robin a bit more, the travels and navigation. Really top notch stuff my man!

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Thanks my friend! Hope to explore like the “good old days” in 2024😍🤩😎

[@lindamesa5122]

So much concrete and twisted steel! These complexes are all over the world! So what do we do with them now!? Costs for tearing them down can't even be imagined, so how many thousands of yrs will it take for it all to disappear?? Only time will tell!? 😮😮😮😮😮

[@Chazz-xj9bb]

This guy is a HERO of Freedom., discovery, and braveness.

[@tonycarver9570]

Dude, I seriously love your channel. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@IKS-Exploration]

wow super adventure :) keep up the great work

[@eriktred]

Sorry for the loss of your father 🙏

[@lander1591]

Wow so much to see.. you could spend weeks there and still not see it all.

[@petershen6924]

Good to mention: when you search "Paper Mill in Anhui Province" in Chinese, lots of results showed up indicating the government was cracking down on small paper mills due to energy consumption and pollution. This indicates that the demand for paper is huge there. Obviously, inefficiency caused this paper mill to go out of business.

[@jandejager4732]

Erg indrukwekkend zo een complex vooral de stoomturbines maken indruk op mij, ik heb namelijk nog met dit soort machines gewerkt. Het is erg jammer dat dit soort complexen na enige tijd in verval raken en te gevaarlijk zijn om te bezoeken. Mijn dank voor deze beelden.

[@stralegaming2597]

In all honesty I've been loving your videos because you don't ruin the places you visit with graffiti and whatnot and you leave them as you find them, something sadly most explorers don't do. Thanks for noting being like the majority

[@alltheusernameswastaken8936]

To think that at one point there was people alive who knew every nut, every screw, every part of every machine in this factory. all that knowledge lost to the echos of time, a path we will all walk...

[@BurnsideBandit]

All knowledge programmed by the very system man created. A waste of time man could have spent doing far better things. 😂

[@georgH]

14:00 The panel used to synchronize the generators with the grid, with the synchroscope at the top.

[@Metalstacker]

Supergave afleveringen uit China Bob! Vele mooie en bijzondere locaties daar met vaak niet vernielde/gevandaliseerde gebouwen. Ik wil je even laten weten dat je mijn beeld van China wel hebt beïnvloed, op een positieve manier! Ik zie/zag het als een totalitaire staat, maar de mensen die je mee hebt op je explores zijn zo aardig en de andere mensen lijken mij ook heel aardig. Het eten ziet er ook zeer lekker uit en de omgeving ziet er gewoon modern uit. Wel anders dan dat er altijd maar in de media wordt voor geschoteld. Natuurlijk is het een grootmacht waar wij via de Westerse media een bepaald beeld van mee krijgen. Lijkt mij fantastisch om ook een keer naar Azië te gaan. Gecondoleerd nog met het verlies van je vader. Wat een mooie decay in deze video, gecombineerd met de nog goed uitziende papierwerken en tekeningen. Mooie drone shots! Je ziet duidelijk hoe de natuur het al volledig aan het overnemen is. Kijk uit naar je volgende video.

[@jonbagge4968]

Geeez, got me nervous when that glass came away!

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Yeah.. it was horizontally, so I did not notice it before 👀

[@Anjo131]

Zo mooi en wat een ervaring weer.

[@ayjay749]

Interesting place and amazing gymnastics by Bob - despite 5Kg extra! Very helpful to have some things translated too. Keep up the great work!

[@rolfsinkgraven]

One off you best industrial explores, big and beautiful indeed thanx Bob loved watching it, you got a nice way too get in and out off places lol.

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Yes! You have to make some effort haha😁 Thanks Rolf. I also loved this place!

[@brendakrieger7000]

That's so wonderful that you have good friends in China and around the world🌏 Another awesome episode Bob!!!

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Thanks for catching up with the videos Brenda ! 🙏😎

[@joshb124]

Love seeing all the natural decay. Great explore Bob!

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Was a nice explore! Thanks a lot😁😁

[@t1mmy13]

Hahaha I love it you hit all the classics of dutch food and described it very well

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

😂😅Some Dutch culture haha

[@screwthecabal6453]

This place is so unbelievable! I would love to see this place and it's workers in its heyday. Your shots of all the control rooms and unique technical equipment is absolutely astounding! It's like this place was frozen in time eons ago, not just 25 years, more like 3 civilizations ago.

[@urbexkespointofview]

Wat een prachtig 'dorp' industrial. Al die kleuren, verval en zonlicht samen. Vind het schitterend

[@handyman1957]

Wow Bob, too many good meals like those and you won't fit in that window again : ) This was an awesome explore. What amazes me the most is the almost complete lack of water damage even after all these years. Very well built buildings.

[@Fran_SG]

Coooool!!!

[@billm7166]

Great video Bob this was very interesting sorry I missed the premiere I'm sick too.

[@mikehutchinson9318]

Amazing no roof leaks..puddles on the floors…

[@spragnionywrazenurbex]

Amazing industrial, it's look like little city. As always, great exploration and beautiful video shots!

[@Bavarian-Oakleaf]

Excellent Adventure Bob, Thank you 👏 👍

[@pure_awareness]

Another great place to explore

[@user-uo1nk2yb3v]

my friend, I am writing to you from far away Russia, or rather from the city of Yekaterinburg, which is in its very center. I really like your videos, shoot even more (if anything, apologize for mistakes, it's all Google translator)😄

[@USMC1984]

I would love to do this! If you ever come to the U.S., I would like to meet you and explore with you!!

[@borntoclimb7116]

What a awesome place, lot of things for urban climbers

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Yes! A playground for adults 😊

[@cincyjohn69]

Yay this is what I was waiting for!!!!! Let’s goooooooo

[@cincyjohn69]

As always such an amazing location ! Grat job bob

[@willemjan1971]

Super kerel het ziet er weer fantastisch uit ga zo door.

[@v31.48]

Prachtige video weer, zoals altijd!

[@BuyLuxuryFootRestsFromTh-bw8ub]

Hey Bob, Thanks for the inspiration over the years. I made these in Kansas and honestly was probably watching a few of your videos (in a gas mask) along the way. 😅 Shaped on an old Delta Milwaukee stand-up belt sander that was purchased for $50. Made with a variety of different lumbers, each piece is hand shaped before assembly and then reshaped a number of times along the production process. The wood frames are then topped with an upholstered foot topper that has been padded with varying layers of aeronautics grade rubberized foams. The very best vinyl , leather, and glues are used throughout to ensure a final feel and durability that is unmatched on the market today. Good for shoes, socks , claws, and paws. (Please do not stand) Originally designed for Basset Hounds. A photogenic and functional mobility accessory that looks good in the background and brings multiple uses and all of them beneficial to a healthy happy home. Hope to buy your books one day. Good luck on your future Travels. I still cannot believe those tiny inflatable boats float while containing your huge b***s.

[@alpine1600s]

The one cooling tower is still operational, looks like a newer plant built next to the paper mill.

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

1 of the 2 is operational😌

[@hksp]

powerplant is 1941 & had been upgraded 7 times till now

[@blancosanmartin]

Amaaaaaaazing!

[@mennoboon8037]

Wel echt gaaf dat je deze reizen kan maken dat is pittig ver in China ook waarschijnlijk. Echt mooi oud spul nog daar.

[@zeberdee1972]

Cool video as always thank you .

[@billcooke4413]

Your videos are the best thank you

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Thanks a lot Bill😇

[@Electronzap]

Awesome explore Bob. China seems to have a lot of amazing abandoned factories.

[@brianmcdowell6066]

Bro you have no idea.

[@serz1885]

it should be incredible photos from this place

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

😄😄😄 Took many epic pictures

[@serz1885]

@@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath you should upload it

[@ibrasal129]

Great 😃😃 video

[@maurojuniomanausam]

Já deixado meu like 👍🏻😃 ótimo

[@petershen6924]

Bob, did you see a statue of a lady playing accordion outside the abandoned movie theater?

[@martinforsberg]

Sorry for your loss.

[@KristianK9755]

Simply wooow... 🍻🍻

[@shubus]

A truly remarkable site. If this site was a paper factory and it closed down, the obvious question is where are they making the paper now?

[@meijiayela]

State-owned factories are not as efficient as private enterprises in terms of production efficiency, so now it is private enterprises in Zhejiang that make paper.

[@shubus]

@@meijiayela Sounds good, but I guess we can expect the CCP State to start taking over those private enterprises *Real Soon Now*

[@Jwlessmann]

At 32:15,I’ve tried to get through such window als ich was 6 . And you did it.😂

[@favorite_urbex_]

Very Nice 🎉

[@kevinmartin5489]

cool

[@joosthoekzema663]

weer mooie video keep on the goed werk

[@Lievekevonk]

30:46 haha die 'Poe héj' net als Tommie uit Sesamstraat 😅😅😅 toffe video weer, bedankt Bob!

[@TheKoenrisseeuw]

Nice video

[@optical_ideas]

Your climbing skills 👍 I really like the overgrown parts, looks so much like The Last of Us. Great explore

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Thanks for checking, a fun place indeed!😄

[@befeleme]

In any Western country, the factory would be completely vandalized. The Chinese people are amazing. We have a lot to learn from China and her culture.

[@petershen6924]

Although the factory went bankrupt, the city still owns the property, so there is still a small group of people still oversee the property.

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Still Peter.. with the circumstances the one in Europe and the United States would be vandalized and looted from copper and other valuables

[@petermonahangatorpete]

All that copper would be stripped that's for sure

[@befeleme]

@@giantasparagus 1/ Obviously it's not guarded so well, if they managed to get in so easily. 2/ Even guarded abandoned factory sites in Europe and the US get covered in graffiti and vandalized in no time, no exception. 3/ What, "China isn't exactly kind when it comes to trespassing"??? - Now, THAT is a horrible context to do such comparison!

[@screwthecabal6453]

That place is absolutely amazing and the motors I you showed in that room is way awesome!

[@edr5731]

Isn t that dangerous for your Chinese friends to trespass with you ? Videos will be seen, they will be identified for sure. What do they risk and what do they think about it ? Thx Rob. Great content, I bought your 3 books

[@zxggwrt]

I’ve thought about that, too. I figure they have bigger fish to fry.

[@randomdude8202]

Propaganda is not something specific to China

[@jogana6909]

In fact, there are a lot of similar adventure videos on China's website. No one was arrested for this. There are no high-tech or military secrets in this factory.

[@groningenparanormaal3642]

Ik had geen idee dat je Nederlands was. Leuk!

[@urbexkespointofview]

Hi bob

[@kanenstuff]

It looked like big paper mill machines making paper for printing.

[@BurnsideBandit]

Hey Bob. I recently stumbled apon your videos. All of your content is awesome and I like the way you go through, take your time and really make us viewers feel like we came on the adventure to. The 360 videos you should do more of. And the missions to old ships are really insane. Please though wear a respirator and save yourself plenty more adventures. I can't stress inhaling white or black mould is terrible, inhaling old concrete and dust can also lead to serious life threatening lung problems, not to mention the asbestos and other old lead paints and what not. Either way love the videos. Just looking out for a fellow Explorer. Peace.

[@hksp]

安徽造纸厂

[@zeberdee1972]

30:37 At this point im thinking that extra 5 kilo's must have been on your feet as if it had been any where else im not sure how you got through that barred window . And no greasing of the window bars . If it had been me there would have been a Nathan shape bent into those bars and a very ungraceful entry into that building , pride comes before a fall and I think I might have made a dramatic thud noise inside that building . Well if any thing I might have paved the way for every one else 😂 .

[@skodakodiaqhockeyedition4417]

Что за город. Это где снимали ролик. 👍👍👍

[@FunStations]

turn on subtitles for other languages!!!

[@Fabri_Ghost]

Wow the place is like S.T.A.L.K.E.R Game map

[@StubbyPhillips]

30:27 Dude!

[@olegphilonenco6486]

Неимоверно

[@screwthecabal6453]

That lab looks so cool I would like to know about the people who worked there and knows about the different machines

[@Gordonseries385]

👍

[@withershin]

Did people back in the 1950's honestly get amazed by huge industry that would be useless 50 years later? One subway stop in Toronto costs a billion dollars in 2023 money. Back in these days they just threw money and resources at making "cigarettes".

[@zeberdee1972]

32:19 Yep at this point , confirmed the extra 5 kilo's went to the feet 🤣

[@mukkeswiersma862]

deze mans nederlands😮

[@zeberdee1972]

32:12 Spider man , spider man does every thing a spider man can , watch out here comes the urban explorer spider man 😁

[@markemilyshepherd7981]

Do you ever worry about asbestos exposure in these places?

[@NSTM2024]

Why are the chimneys still producing smoke?

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

It's from a nearby generating station :)

[@NSTM2024]

@@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath Okay. Nice video anyway. Always enjoy your video's

[@pakkinen]

just on steel for scrap, there are millions in there, then compressors, whole industrial equipment that could be sold back when they closed....from a business point of view, I don´t understand why they left so much money behind

[@trader4239]

Bob Belgische producten zijn toch veel beter :)

[@janicecopeland9083]

Thanks Bob, be careful the Chicom's aren't nice to deal with.

[@legenware]

haha 5 kg holy shit dude, das wel veel :P

[@QualityCraftsmen]

Bob, watch not to sell your soul for access to these Aladdin's caves. I hear the evolution of propaganda beginning. It seems harmless at first. However these sorts of games develop with minds of their own. The waters here are deep... Such an amazing explore!

[@befeleme]

Propaganda is not something specific to China, and you are now exhibiting the same thing - just in the opposite direction. If you ever bother to travel to China, you might realize that you were had.

[@PROPHETS-BAIN]

You having a laugh?..america is the most indoctrinated country on the planet 😂

[@QualityCraftsmen]

@@PROPHETS-BAIN Quite a lot to un-pack here. The sole content on your channel is educational. Netanyahu let the Chinese steal quiet a bit of Israeli R&D right from under his nose before they quite literally stabbed him in the back... I would argue that North Korea is the most indoctrinated country on the planet.

[@QualityCraftsmen]

@@befeleme Quite right, every nation state on the globe uses propaganda. Trying to dissuade you of your position would likely only result in a circular augment, it may simply be best to agree to disagree; this seems to be a win/win strategy... I would love to travel to china one day, however the current regime would detain me.

[@befeleme]

@@QualityCraftsmen Why do you think they would detain you? What have you done?

[@alpine1600s]

Small boiler, produced around 40-60 mwatts/hour. Still more efficient than solar and wind combined.🤦‍♂️

[@Ganiscol]

False.

[@mennoboon8037]

Wat ik me wel afvraag hoe het in de fabrieken er aan toe gaan met mensen die als slaven heel lang moeten werken. En ook de kampen waar die Oeigoeren zitten wat er daar allemaal gebeurt.

[@meijiayela]

You have been misled by US propaganda. There is no such thing as slave labor and there is no forced labor in Xinjiang. There are a lot of content on KZbin about Western tourists traveling to Xinjiang, you can take a look. The Uyghurs in Xinjiang live a very good life and do not need others to worry about them.

[@TheWhiteSpy]

Why did I think you were in Chernobyl?

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

I have been in Chernobyl, Pripyat, Belarus side of the nuclear zone( on this channel) and many weeks in Fukushima (on this channel)🥹But yes.. it’s the same desolate feeling!

[@skylem5373]

@36:32 Belly Bob in person :)

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

Those are the 5kg in gained on my first trip to China, and beside those trips I only have been editing.. so need to exercise :D

[@nicholassimpson8232]

Did you try dog while you were there🍽

[@ExploringtheUnbeatenPath]

No. It’s not a tradition to eat dog in China as far as I know.

[@PROPHETS-BAIN]

Imagine what you yanks eat on a daily basis ...the fact your food is banned outside the us ...should tell you all you need to know