“What secrets lie within these walls?” I ask gesturing towards the \u5730\u8d28\u8c03\u67e5\u6240\u9e6b\u5cf0\u5730\u9707\u7814\u7a76\u5ba4\u539f\u5740\uff08\u9e6b\u5cf0\u5730\u9707\u53f0\uff09. This site marks China’s first effort to monitor earthquakes. It stands as a testament to scientific progress.
The \u5730\u8d28\u8c03\u67e5\u6240\u9e6b\u5cf0\u5730\u9707\u7814\u7a76\u5ba4\u539f\u5740\uff08\u9e6b\u5cf0\u5730\u9707\u53f0\uff09 is located west of Beijing. It sits in the Jiufeng National Forest Park. Specifically it is south of the Xiufeng Temple. This location was not chosen at random.
Let’s step back to the 1920s. A major earthquake struck Haiyuan. This is now part of Ningxia. The quake caused immense devastation. Over 234000 people died. This event underscored the need for seismic research in China.
Geologist Weng Wenhao visited the quake area. He recognized the importance of studying earthquakes. Weng advocated for establishing a seismic observatory. He wanted to use modern tools. These tools could monitor and study earthquakes.
In 1928 Weng Wenhao started planning China’s earthquake monitoring center. Weng faced serious funding shortages.
Lawyer Lin Xinggui donated land near Xiufeng Temple. This donation became the site for the new station. Weng secured some funding. He also got assistance from the China Education and Culture Foundation. This allowed him to purchase advanced monitoring equipment.
Li Shanbang was put in charge of construction. In spring 1930 the Jiufeng Earthquake Station was completed. The sign read “Geological Survey Institute Jiufeng Earthquake Research Office”.
In 1930 a small Wiechert seismograph was installed. It was imported from Germany. On September 20 1930 the station recorded its first earthquake. The earthquake occurred in Turkey. This marked the first instrumental recording of an earthquake by Chinese scientists.
Later a Galitzin-Wilip electromagnetic seismograph was acquired. It came from Estonia.
From 1930 to 1937 the Jiufeng station recorded 2472 earthquakes. The station exchanged data with global counterparts.
In 1933 Li Shanbang visited Germany and the US. He studied advanced earthquake monitoring techniques. Upon his return he published seismic observation reports. These included the “Jiufeng Earthquake Monthly Report”. There was also the “Jiufeng Earthquake Special Report”.
The Sino-Japanese War in 1937 forced the station to close. Equipment was moved for safekeeping. Some items went to Yenching University. Others went to Xiehe Hospital. Much data was lost during the war. The station was used as a command post by anti-Japanese forces.
The Jiufeng Earthquake Station had thick walls. They were about one meter thick. These helped maintain a constant temperature. This was important for the instruments. There was also a telescope. Staff used it for astronomy research.
In the 1990s the station was renovated. In 2002 a bronze statue of Li Shanbang was erected. It honored his contributions.
Today the \u5730\u8d28\u8c03\u67e5\u6240\u9e6b\u5cf0\u5730\u9707\u7814\u7a76\u5ba4\u539f\u5740\uff08\u9e6b\u5cf0\u5730\u9707\u53f0\uff09 stands as a reminder. It symbolizes China’s dedication to earthquake science. It shows the resilience. It embodies the determination of its scientists.