7:40
5·22 山西矿难——247 个矿工，82 个回不了家
5·22 Shanxi Mining Disaster — 247 Miners Underground, 82 Couldn't Come Home
HSK 3 Chinese listening practice. The 5·22 Shanxi Liushenyu coal mine gas explosion in detail: 247 miners, 82 dead, the death-toll revisions, the 2024 high-gas warning, the hidden tunnels, and why 124 of the workers were 'black workers' without contracts.
This is an HSK 3-4 Chinese listening episode that runs about 8 minutes. The full Mandarin script is shown with tap-for-pinyin and a line-by-line English translation, so you can listen and read at once — comprehensible input in the sense of Stephen Krashen's i+1 theory. It teaches 12 key vocabulary words such as 危险、安全、严重 and walks through 6 grammar patterns, each explained in English with examples. The same news story is retold at 4 difficulty levels — use the level selector above to find the version that is challenging but still understandable for you.
我今天想跟你说一个很沉重的新闻。
Today I want to tell you a very heavy news story.
五月二十二号晚上。
On the night of May 22.
山西的一个煤矿，发生了大事。
A coal mine in Shanxi had a major accident.
死了八十二个人。
82 people died.
还有两个人，到现在没找到。
Two more people, even now, haven't been found.
一百多个人受伤。
Over a hundred are injured.
这是中国十五年里，最严重的一次矿难。
This is the most serious mining disaster in China in 15 years.
我们今天来说一下。
Let's talk about it today.
先说一下，事情发生在哪里。
First, let's say where this happened.
山西省，长治市，沁源县。
Shanxi Province, Changzhi City, Qinyuan County.
有一个煤矿。
There's a coal mine.
叫"留神峪煤矿"。
Called "Liushenyu Coal Mine."
是一家公司开的。
It's run by a company.
公司叫"山西通洲集团"。
The company is called "Shanxi Tongzhou Group."
五月二十二号那天晚上。
That night, May 22.
七点二十九分。
At 7:29 p.m.
矿里发生了瓦斯爆炸。
A gas explosion happened in the mine.
什么是瓦斯？
What is "wasi"?
就是矿下面，自然产生的一种气。
It's a kind of gas that occurs naturally underground in the mine.
瓦斯本身没有味道。
The gas itself has no smell.
也看不见。
You can't see it.
但是一遇到火，就会爆炸。
But the moment it meets fire, it explodes.
所以煤矿最怕的，就是瓦斯。
So what coal mines fear most is "wasi."
那天晚上，矿里下面有多少人呢？
That night, how many people were down in the mine?
两百四十七个矿工。
247 miners.
他们正在干活。
They were working.
有的人在挖煤。
Some were digging coal.
有的人在搬煤。
Some were moving coal.
有的人在开机器。
Some were operating machines.
忽然，瓦斯爆炸了。
Suddenly, the gas exploded.
"轰"的一声。
With a "boom."
整个山，都摇了。
The whole mountain shook.
火和烟，到处都是。
Fire and smoke were everywhere.
矿下面像地狱一样。
Down in the mine was like hell.
温度高得吓人。
The temperature was terrifyingly high.
出口被堵住了。
The exit was blocked.
有的人离爆炸的地方近。
Some were close to the blast.
来不及跑。
They had no time to run.
有的人在远处。
Some were further away.
但是烟和有毒的气体很快蔓延。
But the smoke and toxic gases spread quickly.
逃出来，也是很难的。
Escaping was hard for them too.
事故发生以后。
After the accident.
国家马上派了救援队。
The country immediately sent rescue teams.
六支队，三百四十五个人。
Six teams, 345 people.
他们带着设备。
They brought equipment.
进去找人。
Went in to find people.
矿下面又黑又热。
Underground was dark and hot.
还有烟。
There was still smoke.
他们一段一段地清理。
They cleared the tunnels section by section.
一个一个地找。
They found people one by one.
找了好几天。
They searched for several days.
能救的，都救出来了。
Those who could be saved, were saved.
没救出来的，也找到了。
Those who couldn't, were found.
家属一直在矿外面等。
The families waited at the mine entrance the whole time.
等的时候，每个电话都让他们害怕。
While they waited, every phone call terrified them.
最后的数字是：
The final numbers were:
八十二个人死亡。
82 dead.
两个人失踪。
2 missing.
一百二十三人受伤。
123 injured.
其中四个人，伤得很重。
Of those, 4 are in critical condition.
八十二个人是什么意思？
What do 82 people mean?
是八十二个家庭。
It means 82 families.
等爸爸回家，等不到了。
Waiting for dad to come home — he won't.
等丈夫回家，等不到了。
Waiting for husband to come home — he won't.
等儿子回家，等不到了。
Waiting for son to come home — he won't.
而且这个数字，还有问题。
And this number — there's something wrong with it too.
事故刚发生的时候。
When the accident first happened.
官方说：死了八个。
Officials said: 8 dead.
全国都松了一口气。
The whole country let out a breath.
说：还好，没有更多。
Saying: at least it's not more.
后来过了几天。
A few days later.
数字突然变成了九十个。
The number suddenly became 90.
所有人都吓到了。
Everyone was shocked.
又过了几天。
A few days later again.
官方又"核实"了一下。
Officials "verified" it.
把数字改成了八十二个。
And changed the number to 82.
为什么数字一直变？
Why does the number keep changing?
是真的核错了？
Did they really miscount?
还是有人想"压一下"数字？
Or is someone trying to "push down" the number?
有人说：可能是漏报。
Some say: it might be under-reporting.
有人说：可能是瞒报。
Some say: it might be deliberate concealment.
瞒报，就是知道了，但是不说。
Concealment means knowing but not saying.
就是少说几个。
It means saying a few less.
让事情看起来没那么严重。
Making the thing look less serious.
这件事让很多人很生气。
This made a lot of people angry.
家属在矿外面拍桌子。
Families slammed tables outside the mine.
他们说：我家里少了人，你们却在改数字。
They said: my family is missing a person, and you're sitting here changing numbers.
但是更让人生气的，还在后面。
But what's even more infuriating comes next.
记者一查，发现了很多问题。
As soon as reporters investigated, they uncovered many problems.
第一个问题：这个矿，本来就不该开。
First problem: this mine shouldn't have been operating at all.
早在二零二四年。
Way back in 2024.
国家就把这个矿。
The country had put this mine.
列入了"全国灾害严重生产煤矿"的名单。
On the "National List of Coal Mines with Severe Disaster Risks."
什么意思呢？
What does that mean?
就是国家说：这个矿，瓦斯太多。
It means the country had said: this mine, gas levels are too high.
是高危的。
It's high-risk.
但是矿没关。
But the mine wasn't shut down.
还在继续生产。
It kept producing.
第二个问题：这个矿，去年被处罚过两次。
Second problem: this mine was penalized twice last year.
两次都是因为安全问题。
Both times for safety problems.
但是矿主只交了一点罚款。
But the mine owners just paid a small fine.
然后继续开。
And kept operating.
就像没事一样。
As if nothing had happened.
第三个问题：矿下面，有"暗巷"。
Third problem: there were "hidden tunnels" underground.
什么叫暗巷？
What are hidden tunnels?
就是不在图纸上的、偷偷挖的通道。
Tunnels not on the official blueprints, secretly dug.
矿主为什么要挖暗巷？
Why would the mine owners dig hidden tunnels?
因为他们想躲过安全检查。
Because they wanted to evade safety inspections.
检查的人来了。
When inspectors arrived.
看的是有图的地方。
They looked at the mapped areas.
他们去的，是没图的地方。
Where the owners worked was the unmapped areas.
这就是骗。
That's deception.
更可怕的是，暗巷里也有矿工。
Even more terrifying: there were also miners in the hidden tunnels.
他们在那种被刻意藏起来的地方挖煤。
They were digging coal in places that had been deliberately concealed.
出了事，外面的人根本不知道有他们。
When the accident happened, outsiders had no idea they were there.
所以一开始的数字才会那么少。
That's why the initial death toll was so low.
第四个问题：那二百四十七个矿工里。
Fourth problem: of those 247 miners.
只有一百二十四个，是合法用工。
Only 124 were legally employed.
也就是说。
In other words.
有一半多的人，是"黑工"。
More than half were "black workers."
"黑工"就是没有正规合同的工人。
"Black workers" means workers without proper contracts.
没有保险。
No insurance.
没有培训。
No training.
工资也是私下给的。
Wages paid under the table.
出了事，家人很难拿到赔偿。
When something happens, their families can hardly get compensation.
他们家里甚至不容易证明，亲人是在这里上班的。
Their families often can't even prove their loved one worked here.
这四个问题加起来。
The four problems added together.
就是这次事故真正的原因。
Are the real causes of this accident.
不只是一次"意外"。
Not just a single "accident."
是一连串的违法、骗、和不管。
It's a chain of illegality, deception, and neglect.
所以国务院专门派了一个调查组。
So the State Council specifically sent an investigation team.
要"较真碰硬"地查。
They want to investigate "rigorously and firmly."
"较真碰硬"是国务院的话。
"Rigorously and firmly" is what the State Council said.
意思是说：这次要认真查。
It means: this time we're investigating seriously.
不能放过任何一个人。
We can't let anyone off.
不能因为对方有钱有关系就放过去。
We can't let go just because the other side has money or connections.
现在，矿的老板已经被抓了。
Now, the mine owner has already been arrested.
还有十几个相关的人，也被抓了。
Over a dozen related people have also been arrested.
查的还在查。
The investigation is still ongoing.
听说他们要查到底是谁。
Reportedly they want to find out exactly who.
让这个矿在被警告以后，还能继续开。
Allowed this mine to keep operating after being warned.
听这个新闻的时候。
Listening to this news.
我心里有几种感觉。
I have several feelings.
第一，是难过。
First, sadness.
八十二个家庭。
82 families.
今年的端午节，没法过了。
Won't be able to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival this year.
今年的中秋节，也没法过了。
Won't be able to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival this year either.
他们家里少了一个人。
Their families are missing a person.
而且这个人。
And that person.
是用最痛的方式失去的。
Was lost in the most painful way.
家属甚至不一定能见到完整的遗体。
Families might not even get to see a complete body.
第二，是生气。
Second, anger.
不是对工人生气。
Not anger at the workers.
是对那些为了赚钱，不管工人死活的人。
Anger at those who chase money and don't care if the workers live or die.
国家两年前就警告了。
The country warned two years ago.
去年就罚过了。
Last year you were fined.
你都不改。
You still didn't change.
你只是交了一点点钱。
You just paid a little money.
然后接着开。
And kept going.
最后死的，是工人。
The ones who died in the end were the workers.
是别人家的儿子。
Other people's sons.
是别人家的爸爸。
Other people's fathers.
不是你。
Not you.
第三，是无奈。
Third, helplessness.
这种事情，不是第一次了。
This kind of thing isn't the first time.
也不会是最后一次。
And it won't be the last.
山西。
Shanxi.
内蒙。
Inner Mongolia.
河南。
Henan.
河北。
Hebei.
中国的煤矿。
China's coal mines.
几乎每隔一段时间。
At regular intervals.
就会出一次大事。
A major accident happens.
我们记得当时很气。
We remember how angry we were at the time.
过几个月，慢慢就忘了。
A few months later, we slowly forget.
然后下一次又来。
Then the next one comes.
然后再气一次。
And we get angry again.
然后再忘一次。
And we forget again.
最后我想问你一个问题。
Finally I want to ask you a question.
你呢？
What about you?
你身边，有没有人做这种又累又危险的工作？
Around you, do you know anyone who does this kind of tiring, dangerous work?
比如说。
For example.
建筑工。
Construction workers.
外卖员。
Delivery workers.
长途司机。
Long-haul drivers.
矿工。
Miners.
清洁工。
Cleaners.
你怎么看他们？
How do you see them?
你了解他们的生活吗？
Do you understand their lives?
你觉得，社会应该怎么对他们好一点？
How do you think society could treat them better?
你慢慢想，不用着急。
Take your time, no rush.
HSK 3. Central recurring word in the episode — describes the work, the gas, the conditions.
HSK 3. 安全问题 = safety problems. 安全检查 = safety inspection.
HSK 3. 最严重的一次矿难 = the most serious mining disaster.
HSK 3. 国务院专门派了一个调查组 = the State Council specifically sent an investigation team. Both verb and noun.
HSK 3. 安全检查 = safety inspection. Central to the 'hidden tunnels' problem — the inspections were being deceived.
HSK 3 noun. The episode uses it in the context of corruption: 有钱有关系 = having money and connections.
Beyond HSK 1-3. The most feared word in Chinese coal mining. The script glosses it: 自然产生的一种气，看不见，没有味道，遇到火就会爆炸.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 瓦斯爆炸 = gas explosion. The direct cause of the May 22 disaster.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 国家级矿山救援队 = national-level mine rescue team. 救援 carries a formal, large-scale connotation.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 违 (to violate) + 法 (law). The script uses it to describe what enabled the disaster: 一连串的违法、骗、和不管.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 这个矿，去年被处罚过两次 = the mine was administratively penalized twice last year.
HSK 4, beyond the HSK 1-3 target. 谁的责任 = whose responsibility. Central to the investigation question.
* beyond level超纲词
不只是... + 是...
Used to redirect: 'it's not just X, it's Y'. Strong rhetorical correction.
这件事，不只是一个人的问题。
不只是一次'意外'。
是一连串的违法、骗、和不管。
Subject + 被 + Agent + Verb
Passive construction with 被. The agent who does the action follows 被.
出口被堵住了。
矿的老板已经被抓了。
这个矿，去年被处罚过两次。
Subject + 为了 + Goal, + Action
为了 = 'for the sake of / in order to'. Introduces a purpose clause.
不是对工人生气。
是对那些为了赚钱，不管工人死活的人。
对... + Verb / 来说
对 marks who the action is directed at; 对... 来说 marks whose perspective is being discussed.
是对那些为了赚钱，不管工人死活的人。
对一个和尚来说。
Subject + 几乎 / 每隔 + Time + Verb
Marks rough regularity. 每隔一段时间 = at regular intervals. 几乎 = almost.
几乎每隔一段时间。
就会出一次大事。
Verb + 过 + Number + 次
Verb + 过 + 数量 + 次 expresses 'has done [action] [N] times' as a frequency expression.
这个矿，去年被处罚过两次。
两次都是因为安全问题。