Peeling paint and mould whisper tales of a bygone era at Dongfanghong Tunnel. This isn’t just any tunnel. It’s a relic from China’s tense Cold War period. Imagine Beijing under threat. The city was cut off. Fears of a Soviet military confrontation were palpable. Chairman Mao ordered the construction of Dongfanghong Tunnel. It would provide refuge in case of a nuclear attack.
Construction on Dongfanghong Tunnel began in 1969. It continued for almost a decade. Hundreds of thousands of Beijingers dug the tunnels. They often used only their bare hands. The Dongfanghong Tunnel eventually stretched far. It ran from Beijing’s central government district to the hills beyond.
The government claimed Dongfanghong Tunnel could house all six million residents. They could live underground for months. They would re-emerge to rebuild Chinese civilization. The nuclear war never happened. Relations between China and the outside world thawed. The tunnels remained largely unused.
Dongfanghong Tunnel has a vast network of tunnels and rooms. It seemed more like London’s Victorian sewage system. It also resembled a long-flooded cellar in a French vineyard. Dongfanghong Tunnel was built to house millions of refugees. It would have schools, offices, cinemas and hospitals.
One section of Dongfanghong Tunnel opened as a tourist attraction in 2000. Foreign visitors saw guides dressed as Cultural Revolution soldiers. They passed busts of Mao Zedong to a silk factory and gift shop. It closed in 2008 before the Beijing Olympics.
The Dongfanghong Tunnel runs beneath Beijing’s city center. It covers an area of 85 square kilometers. It lies 8 to 18 meters under the surface. There were once about 90 entrances. They were hidden in shops along Qianmen’s main streets.
Inside Dongfanghong Tunnel visitors could see signposts. These pointed to major landmarks accessible by the tunnels. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City were among them. Chambers were labeled with their original functions. These included cinemas, hospitals and arsenals. A portrait of Mao Zedong was visible. It was amidst murals of locals digging tunnels. Slogans like “Accumulate Grain” were also visible. “For the People: Prepare for War, Prepare for Famine.”
Dongfanghong Tunnel had facilities. There were restaurants, clinics and schools. Factories, a roller skating rink, and warehouses were present. Nearly 70 sites could easily have water wells dug. Elaborate ventilation systems were installed. 2,300 shafts could be sealed off. This would protect inhabitants from poison gases. Gas and waterproof hatches were constructed. Thick concrete main gates protected the tunnels. They protected them from biochemical attacks and nuclear fallout.
Today, Dongfanghong Tunnel remains a silent witness. It reminds us of a world on the brink. A world where even the earth beneath our feet became a potential refuge. Though closed for renovation since 2008, its story echoes. It reminds us of a time when Beijing prepared for the unthinkable.