Atomic City (Nuclear Weapons Research Base)

　　Atomic City is located on the Golden and Silver Beach Grassland in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, covering a total area of over 1,100 square kilometers. It was China’s first nuclear weapons research and development base. Senior scientists and engineers successfully developed China’s first atomic bomb and first hydrogen bomb here. Established in 1958, the base is where both China’s first atomic bomb and first hydrogen bomb were born, hence the name “Atomic City.” It was decommissioned on May 15, 1995, and renamed Xihai Town with approval from the State Council. It now serves as the seat of Haibei Prefecture government. In 2001, Qinghai Atomic City was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level by the State Council. In November 2005, it was designated as a National Patriotic Education Demonstration Base.

　　In the 1960s, a group of scientists and technicians arrived here under assumed identities. The site was outwardly known as State-Owned Factory 221 or the Qinghai Mining Area. Through arduous efforts, they successively developed China’s first atomic bomb and first hydrogen bomb, and produced multiple models of strategic weaponry. In 1987, this top-secret military facility, which had operated for over 30 years, completed its historical mission. The central government decided to dismantle the base. After its decommissioning in 1993, the site was handed over to local government. Qinghai Province named it Xihai Town and designated it as the capital of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.