Echoes of a Forgotten Era: The Cinematic Desolation of Aksai Borozhuanjing Film Base

The Ghost Town of the Gobi

1.Located at the junction of: Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang provinces, the Aksai Borozhuanjing Film and Television Base—often referred to as the "Aksai Oil Town"—is a hauntingly beautiful monument to a vanished era. This site served as the original county seat of Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County from its establishment in 1954 until 1998. Perched at an altitude of approximately 2,800 meters at the foot of the Dangjin Mountains, the town was abruptly abandoned when the entire population was relocated to the lower-altitude New Liuqi Town due to high environmental radiation levels and a severe shortage of water.

A Post-Apocalyptic Masterpiece

Today, the ruins of Borozhuanjing offer a unique "wasteland" aesthetic that has made it a premier destination for film production and photography. The base gained national fame as the primary filming location for the blockbuster film Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe (九层妖塔), where its crumbling brick buildings and desolate streets provided the perfect post-apocalyptic backdrop. Walking through the town, visitors find themselves in a surreal space that blurs the line between a historical relic and a cinematic set, capturing a sense of "wasteland wanderlust" that is rare in modern China.

Preserving the Artifacts of Daily Life

Unlike many ancient ruins, Borozhuanjing is a "living" museum of mid-to-late 20th-century urban life. The base preserves the structural skeletons of a complete town, including the former county government headquarters, hospitals, schools, and residential compounds. Iconic installations created for films, such as the famous bus half-buried in the ground and various sci-fi creature sculptures, are integrated into the existing ruins, enhancing the site's mysterious and eerie atmosphere.

Atmosphere and Aesthetic Appeal

The site is most striking during the "golden hours" of sunrise and sunset, when the harsh Gobi sunlight casts long shadows across the red-brick ruins and the surrounding desert landscape. The contrast between the silent, decaying structures and the majestic, snow-capped peaks of the Dangjin Mountains creates a dramatic visual dialogue. It remains an essential stop for those embarking on a road trip through the Gansu-Qinghai loop, offering a profound reflection on human history, industrial survival, and the reclaiming power of nature.