On the wind-swept Jinyintan Grassland of Qinghai Province, the remnants of a once-classified world stand as a testament to China’s rapid ascent as a nuclear power. Known formerly as Plant 221, this high-altitude facility at 3,500 meters was the nation’s first nuclear weapons development base. Today, it serves as a sprawling museum and patriotic education site, preserving the history of the 'Two Bombs, One Satellite' program.
The origins of the base date back to 1958, a period defined by the Cold War’s height and China’s increasing isolation from both the West and the Soviet Union. Faced with nuclear blackmail and technological blockades, the central leadership authorized a secret mission led by Li Jue to build a research hub in the wilderness. Starting with little more than three tents, the project eventually expanded into a 573-square-kilometer complex that bridged the gap between a pastoral economy and the atomic age.
Building the facility required significant human sacrifice, both civilian and scientific. To clear the land, nearly 1,300 pastoralist families were forced to relocate, moving over 150,000 heads of livestock to make way for the secret site. Meanwhile, China’s elite scientific minds, including Deng Jiaxian and Wang Ganchang, disappeared from public life to live in the harsh, oxygen-deprived environment. Their collaborative effort involved 26 ministries and 900 separate units, emphasizing a model of 'national mobilization' that remains a cornerstone of Chinese industrial policy today.
The strategic dividends of the base were realized on October 16, 1964, when China successfully detonated its first atomic bomb. This was followed in short order by the development of hydrogen bombs and missile-delivered warheads, allowing the nascent People’s Republic to break the nuclear monopoly of the superpowers. By 1987, in a gesture toward international disarmament and peace, the base was officially decommissioned and repurposed for civilian use, a transition the government describes as 'turning swords into plowshares.'
In the modern era, the 'Atomic City' has evolved from a top-secret military installation into a vibrant 'red tourism' destination. The 'Two Bombs, One Satellite' spirit—defined by self-reliance and hardship—is now actively promoted to the next generation of scientists and technicians. As China marks the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic, the legacy of Base 221 is framed as the spiritual blueprint for overcoming modern technological challenges, from semiconductors to deep-space exploration.