The "underground Great Wall" located at the West Damochang Alley in Beijing's Chongwen District has been opened to city dwellers. The site at 10 meters below the ground surface has finally become a base for education on education.

The site is under the management of labor service center of Qianmen residential community.

The wall was a defense project built by local residents and social organizations through voluntary labor. It covers an area of over 1, 000 square meters and extends to nowadays' subway stations such as Tian'anmen, hence the nickname "Underground Great Wall".

The underground city has an arsenal, a "battlefield hospital," and a recreation center for pensioners.

Stepping inside and downward through the 1.5-metre-wide door, which looks nothing special, one enters a series of tunnels stretching for 30 kilometers.

The tunnel is decorated with camouflage cloth on both sides of the tunnel, with framed portraits of previous Chinese leaders, including Sun Yat-sen and Mao Zedong.

"For safety considerations, there are no outlets over there," said Gao Guilan, manager of the underground city.

Gao receives some 200 tourists every day, and most of them are overseas tourists in groups.

But for local tourists, things are different.

"I've never heard about the place," said Ge Zongyu, a local resident who has lived in the Qianmen area for over 40 years.

Dai Bing, another Beijinger, was excited at seeing the site.

He visited yesterday after a recommendation from one of his foreign friends.

The underground city only receives packaged visitors, no individuals are allowed in, according to the authorities.

"The group visitor policy is made for the sake of the tourists' safety, to avoid getting lost in the multi-branched tunnels," Gao said.

This air-raid shelter was constructed over 10 years between 1969 and 1979, and it was designed to hold over 300,000 people in case of an air raid.

There are more than 2,300 ventilation shafts to supply the underground tunnels with fresh air.

There are also more than 70 places inside the tunnels to store water.

Gao said if possible, some entertainment facilities will be introduced to make visits more enjoyable.

"No matter what kind of entertainment is adopted, there should be a clear focus on the specific culture of the place," she added.

That means more Beijingers will learn about the city's past.

By People's Daily Online/China Daily