The ruins of Lenghu Town in Qinghai Province showcase China's industrial ambitions and their aftermath. Built in 1952, this petroleum hub rapidly grew to house 60,000 residents. The crumbling structures juxtaposed against distant oil equipment tell a story of boom and abandonment. By the late 1970s, as workers departed, fewer than 2,000 people remained. Today, these empty shells illustrate the vulnerability of resource-dependent development in harsh environments.
