404 – a nameless city on the map located in Gansu Province, is where China developed its nuclear bomb program during the Cold War.
In this era of satellite technology, almost every building and street corner is clearly depicted on satellite maps. However, in China, there exists a mysterious city that cannot be found on any map.
Strangely enough, this city is designated by a coded number, much like a ghost town. City 404 is located near De Oa Pho Station, in the city of Yumen, Gansu Province. To reach this location, one must go to De Oa Pho Station and then request permission from the police station. City 404 was established during the tense period of the Cold War.
In 1958, as both the United States and the Soviet Union possessed nuclear weapons, China decided to devote its full efforts to nuclear bomb research. The best scientists were gathered at the coordinates 97.21 degrees east longitude and 40.10 degrees north latitude, transforming the desert area into City 404.
This city is designated by a coded number like a ghost town.
The scientists working here laid the groundwork for China’s nuclear and space programs. Deng Jiaxian, who is regarded as the father of nuclear physics in China, was one of them.
Due to military secrecy, City 404 does not appear on any maps. Beneath the city are bomb shelters. At the nuclear waste disposal site, workers operate in a highly radioactive environment. Every half hour, they must leave the area. At the end of their shifts, they have to bury their protective clothing. If not careful, they risk radiation exposure, hair loss, and even life-threatening dangers.
On a mountain near the city lies a large cemetery, where those who once worked here are buried. These individuals dedicated their lives to China’s nuclear science. Many could never return to their hometowns. Over 60 years have passed, and the city has been abandoned, with many people leaving, but some remain forever on this nameless piece of land.
