Jiuquan, Gansu Province

Cinematic Desolation: Unveiling the Mysteries of Aksai Oil Town Ghost City

📸Photography 🏯Old Towns 🧗Adventure

Altitude

2,780m

Best Time

🌸 🍂

Ticket

Paid

🏔️ High Altitude Notice

This location is at 2,780m elevation. Mild altitude sickness may occur. Stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity on your first day.

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About This Attraction

A Frozen Moment in Time

1.Located at the foot of the majestic Dangjin: Mountain in Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County, Gansu Province, the Aksai Oil Town Ruins (historically known as Boluo Zhuanjing) stand as a haunting monument to a vanished era. At an altitude of 2,800 meters, this once-thriving administrative and industrial hub served as the former county seat of Aksai from 1954 until the late 1990s. Today, it is an expansive "Ghost City" where the silence of the high-plateau desert has reclaimed streets once filled with the energy of oil workers and nomadic residents.

The Rise and Fall of Boluo Zhuanjing

The town's history is deeply intertwined with China's early oil exploration efforts. Established in the mid-20th century, Boluo Zhuanjing was a fully functional urban center equipped with theaters, hospitals, schools, and government offices to support thousands of workers from the nearby oilfields. However, by the late 1990s, research revealed that the town was located in an area with high background radiation levels, and the lack of fresh water further complicated living conditions. In 1998, the entire population was relocated to the newly built Hongliuwan Town, leaving the old city to fall into its current state of ruin.

The Cinematic "Nine-Story Demon Tower"

The site gained international fame as the primary filming location for the blockbuster movie "Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe" (also known as The Nine-Story Demon Tower). The film utilized the town's natural decay to create a surreal, apocalyptic atmosphere. Visitors can still see iconic props left behind by the production, including a crashed bus embedded in the road, derelict gas stations, and sand-filled theaters. These elements blend the town's real historical tragedy with cinematic fantasy, creating a unique "wasteland aesthetic" that attracts photographers and urban explorers from across the globe.

Highland Desolation and Visual Splendor

Walking through the ruins, one feels a profound sense of "time travel". The architecture reflects the socialist-industrial style of the 1950s-1980s, with red-brick buildings and slogans still faintly visible on the crumbling walls. The town is surrounded by the vast Gobi desert and set against the dramatic backdrop of the Qilian and Altyn-Tagh mountains, offering a visual contrast between the fragility of human construction and the eternal power of the natural landscape.

✨ Why Visit Aksai Oil Town Ruins - "Ghost City"

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Iconic Film Sets

Explore the surreal remnants of The Nine-Story Demon Tower, including the famous overturned bus and abandoned theaters.

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Authentic 1980s Ruins

Witness a perfectly preserved snapshot of a socialist industrial town, from government courtyards to residential "earth caves".

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Haunting "Ghost City" Atmosphere

Experience the eerie silence of an entire abandoned county seat reclaimed by the desert at 2,800 meters.

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Stunning Mountain Vistas

Capture breathtaking views of Dangjin Mountain framing the derelict urban landscape.

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Wasteland Photography

A premier destination for capturing high-contrast images of industrial decay against high-plateau natural beauty.

Location & Nearby

📍 Jiuquan, Gansu Province • 🏔️ 2780m elevation

Frequently Asked Questions - Aksai Oil Town Ruins - "Ghost City" Travel Guide

Where exactly are the ruins located?

They are situated at the foot of Dangjin Mountain in Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County, Jiuquan, Gansu Province.

Why was the town abandoned?

It was abandoned in 1998 due to radiation concerns, water shortages, and its location on a geological fault line.

What is the most famous movie filmed here?

The most famous is Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe (The Nine-Story Demon Tower), which used the town as its "Oil Town" setting.

Are there any services or facilities at the ruins?

While mostly a ruin, there is a basic entrance area, but visitors should bring their own water and supplies as it is in a remote location.

What is the best time to visit?

May to October is ideal for weather. The "golden hours" of sunrise and sunset provide the most dramatic lighting for the ruins.

Why do you include Chinese characters and Pinyin in the descriptions for Aksai Oil Town Ruins - "Ghost City"?

We provide the original Chinese names and Pinyin to make your travel smoother. Since English is rarely spoken in remote parts of Western China, you can easily show these Chinese names to local taxi drivers, hotel staff, or police when asking for help, or copy-paste them directly into Chinese navigation apps like Amap (高德地图) or Baidu Maps.