“Indestructible.” That’s the word Wang Qishan used to describe the Japanese bunkers. We are standing at the site of the \u4fb5\u534e\u65e5\u519b\u5730\u5821\u9057\u5740. These bunkers are remnants of World War II. They were built by invading Japanese troops.
These bunkers were only recently discovered in southern Beijing. They are located northeast of Nanyuan Airport. The bunkers are hidden among small residential buildings. Previous surveys never found them.
The community here falls under the Nanyuan Street Office of Fengtai District. Many residents are former workers. They worked at the old Beijing Electrical Components Factory. The quiet life here does not suggest a military bunker.
The three bunkers are identical steel and concrete structures. They stand in a line from west to east. Most of the bunkers are underground. Only 1.5 meters are above ground. Each has a door on the south side. The door opens onto a spiral staircase. This staircase leads to the basement below. The entrances to the lowest levels are blocked. We cannot see inside, 70 years after the war.
Wang Qishan has lived here for three decades. He says each bunker has a large basement. It measures 80 square meters. The ceiling is over two meters high. The basement has ventilation holes but no windows.
Locals recall the Electrical Components Factory tried to build dormitories here. They even used explosives. But the bunkers remained intact. The factory built housing on top of the bunkers’ roofs. Four new dormitory buildings were built. This is why fewer residents remember the bunkers’ original look.
Wu Xiaoping believes the bunkers stored important military materials. Most likely, it was ammunition or fuel. This would explain their solid construction.
Historical records show Japanese troops reinforced garrisons in Beiping. Beiping was the name of Beijing. This was from the late 1920s to the late 1940s. During airport expansion, Japanese soldiers built countless bunkers. They were within five kilometers of Nanyuan Airport. These bunkers served as silent sentinels. They are a reminder of a difficult past. They stand as a testament to human resilience. They resisted destruction and time itself. They are a reminder of the ever-present need for peace.