The Secret City on the Golden Prairie: Atomic City Memorial Hall and the Birth of the Dragon's Fire

A Monument to a Secret History

1.Located in Xihai: Town, Haiyan County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, the Atomic City Memorial Hall stands as a solemn testament to a pivotal chapter in modern Chinese history. This area, situated on the beautiful Jinyintan Prairie (Gold and Silver Beach), was once a restricted zone known only as "Factory 221." It was here, at an altitude of 3,100 meters, that China established its first nuclear weapons development base in 1958. For decades, this site vanished from maps, shrouded in absolute secrecy, as top scientists and engineers gathered under harsh conditions to develop the country's strategic defense capabilities. Today, the memorial hall and the surrounding "Atomic City" serve as a National Patriotic Education Demonstration Base and a key cultural heritage site, revealing the once-classified story of how China's first atomic and hydrogen bombs were born,.

The Birthplace of the "Two Bombs"

The memorial hall itself is the centerpiece of the site, designed to resemble a factory workshop or a bunker, blending into the surrounding landscape. Inside, visitors embark on a journey through history, guided by valuable artifacts, historical photographs, and realistic scene reconstructions. The exhibits detail the arduous process of site selection, construction, and the successful testing of the nuclear devices. It highlights the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" spirit—a dedication to self-reliance and hard work. You can see the simple, often crude instruments used by scientists to perform complex calculations, personal items of the workers who braved the high-altitude cold, and models of the explosive devices that changed the geopolitical landscape. The narrative emphasizes the sacrifice of the researchers who lived anonymously on this plateau, dedicating their youth to the nation,,.

From Restricted Zone to Highland Town

Beyond the museum, the entire Xihai Town is a living museum of industrial heritage mixed with Tibetan culture. After the base was decommissioned in 1987 and the site remediated, it was handed over to the local government in 1993 to become the capital of the Haibei Prefecture. Visitors can explore various preserved sites scattered across the prairie, such as the "No. 1 Branch Factory" (the command center), the "No. 2 Branch Factory" (where the explosive experiments took place), and the "General's Building" where leaders like General Li Jue lived. The juxtaposition of these cold War-era industrial relics against the backdrop of the lush, flower-filled Jinyintan Prairie creates a unique and poignant atmosphere. The town is also famous for the folk song "In a Faraway Place" by Wang Luobin, adding a layer of romantic musical heritage to its stern military history,,,.

A Landscape of Heroism

2.Walking through the Atomic: City is not just a tour of a museum; it is an immersion into a spirit of resilience. The "Peace Monument" stands tall in the plaza, symbolizing the ultimate goal of these weapons: peace and defense. The stark contrast between the serene beauty of the grasslands, with their grazing yaks and sheep, and the history of earth-shaking explosions creates a profound visual and emotional impact. Whether exploring the underground command centers or standing before the monument where the first mushroom cloud rose in spirit, visitors are reminded of the immense human effort that turned this remote "forbidden zone" into a city of science and destiny,.