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All China Beijing Dixia Cheng - Beijing's Underground City
Dixia Cheng - Beijing's Underground City is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Dixia Cheng - Beijing's Underground City

Beijing's expansive subterranean hiding spot now crumbles away as a tourist destination.

Beijing, China

Added By
Luca Catarinicchia
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One entrance to the underground city.   David on Flickr
One entrance to the underground city.   David on Flickr
A number of propaganda posters still hang in the restored corridors.   Xiao Niao @ SK on Flickr
Dixia Cheng   23Hours on Flickr
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About

A creation of nuclear paranoia, Beijing's Underground City Dixia Cheng is a cornucopia of arched, hospital-white corridors full of debris, empty iron bed frames, rotting vegetables and curious visitors.

The subterranean world of Dixia Cheng consists of a network of tunnels and chambers under Beijing that stretches across 33 square miles of underground catacombs. Also named the “Underground Great Wall” for its vastness and military purpose, the tunnel complex was dug by hand by local citizens throughout the 1970s to serve as a shelter during invasions, air raids, or nuclear attacks. At the height of its readiness, there were more than 90 entrances to the underground corridors which were hidden in the backs of homes and businesses. 

Civilians seeking shelter from Soviet bombardments in the underground complex would have been safe from boredom as well as bombs. Classrooms were constructed for the children living in the underground city, and recreational amenities like a movie theater, barber shops, restaurants, and a roller skating rink were all awaiting a potential flood of refugees. Chambers in auxiliary tunnels held grain, weapons, and other supplies. The underground city also held sites for growing sunless crops like mushrooms and areas prepared for well drilling.

Luckily, the massive bomb shelter was never used for its intended purpose, and its existence faded into obscurity until portions of the tunnels were opened as a tourist attraction in 2000. Most of the complex is still shut off with just a mere fraction of the corridors open to tours; however, a number of businesses have set up shop in the open areas. 

The official tour takes visitors along only on a small circular stretch of the Underground City, along which a portrait of Mao Zedong can be seen amidst murals of locals volunteering to dig the tunnels accompanied by dreary, fading slogans such as "Dig deep, store grain, don't claim to be an emperor." and "For the People: Prepare for War, Prepare for Famine."

Dixia Cheng has been closed for renovations since 2008, but when it finally reopens visitors will once again be able to take shelter from their standard Beijing tourist spots inside this honeycomb of Communist paranoia.

Update: As of 2017 it is still closed and unlikely to open any time soon.

Related Tags

Abandoned Ruins Tunnels Architectural Oddities Subterranean Sites Architecture

Community Contributors

Added By

Luke Cata

Edited By

Rachel, Martin, hrnick, CoolCrab...

  • Rachel
  • Martin
  • hrnick
  • CoolCrab
  • EricGrundhauser

Published

October 31, 2013

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Sources
  • http://china.org.cn/english/travel/125961.htm
  • http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/chairman-maos-underground-city
  • http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/life/tv/beijings-secret-subterranean-city-508555
  • http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/art-and-design/news-beijings-underground-city?image=4
  • http://geography.howstuffworks.com/asia/beijing-underground-city1.htm
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_City_(Beijing)
  • https://www.google.se/maps/place/Underground+City/@39.898757,116.4019167,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x5a07df025188ea56!8m2!3d39.898757!4d116.4019167
Dixia Cheng - Beijing's Underground City
No. 62, Qianmen West grinding plant
Beijing
China
39.898757, 116.401917

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