A coal mining method, characterized in that: the method comprises the steps of: drilling a main shaft, an auxiliary shaft and a return air shaft from a ground to a coal mining layer; after the main shaft, the auxiliary shaft and the return air shaft have been drilled to the coal mining layer, arranging a working-face production system at the coal mining layer; exploiting by using a coal mining machine cutting a coal wall in a first direction, to form a first mining face with the first direction as an advance direction; by the coal mining machine, cutting out a first haulageway and a first return airway while cutting the coal wall at the first mining face, and preserving the first haulageway and the first return airway, wherein the first haulageway and the first return airway are located on two sides of the first mining face, the first haulageway is in communication with both of the main shaft and the auxiliary shaft, and the first return airway is in communication with the return air shaft; after the first mining face has been mined to a mining stopping line, leaving a reserved laneway of the first mining face at an end of the first mining face, wherein the reserved laneway of the first mining face is in communication with the first haulageway and the first return airway; after the coal mining at the first mining face has been completed, by using the first haulageway or the first return airway of the first mining face as an open-off cut of a second working face, exploiting at the second working face in a second direction further away from the first haulageway or the first return airway; and by the coal mining machine, cutting out a second haulageway and a second return airway while cutting a coal wall at the second working face, and preserving the second haulageway and the second return airway, wherein the second haulageway and the second return airway are located on two sides of the second working face, the second haulageway is in communication with the first haulageway, and the second return airway is in communication with the return air shaft. drilling a main shaft, an auxiliary shaft and a return air shaft from a ground to a coal mining layer; after the main shaft, the auxiliary shaft and the return air shaft have been drilled to the coal mining layer, arranging a working-face production system at the coal mining layer; exploiting by using a coal mining machine cutting a coal wall in a first direction, to form a first mining face with the first direction as an advance direction; by the coal mining machine, cutting out a first haulageway and a first return airway while cutting the coal wall at the first mining face, and preserving the first haulageway and the first return airway, wherein the first haulageway and the first return airway are located on two sides of the first mining face, the first haulageway is in communication with both of the main shaft and the auxiliary shaft, and the first return airway is in communication with the return air shaft; after the first mining face has been mined to a mining stopping line, leaving a reserved laneway of the first mining face at an end of the first mining face, wherein the reserved laneway of the first mining face is in communication with the first haulageway and the first return airway; after the coal mining at the first mining face has been completed, by using the first haulageway or the first return airway of the first mining face as an open-off cut of a second working face, exploiting at the second working face in a second direction further away from the first haulageway or the first return airway; and by the coal mining machine, cutting out a second haulageway and a second return airway while cutting a coal wall at the second working face, and preserving the second haulageway and the second return airway, wherein the second haulageway and the second return airway are located on two sides of the second working face, the second haulageway is in communication with the first haulageway, and the second return airway is in communication with the return air shaft.