"What you see now are woven hats, axes, plows, enamel cups, gloves, and aluminum lunch boxes used by miners in those days. In those days, builders from all over the country gathered here secretly to drill rocks and dig treasures for the motherland..." On April 24, in a temporary exhibition hall of Koktohai Cadre College, Bahatibek Gasmuhan, a distinguished teacher of the interview course of the college, told the students about the history of Koktohai.

At the turn of spring and summer, Keketuohai Town, more than 50 kilometers away from Fuyun County, is quiet and peaceful. The 66 year old Bahatibek is the "second generation of mining" in Koktok Sea. He grew up listening to the sound of the river passing through the town, and later became the first group of minority airborne soldiers in Altay. After retiring in 1982, he returned to the Koktokay mining area.

Bahatibek is a witness to the birth and rebirth of Koktohai due to mining.

In Koktohai Town, tourists like to see the No. 3 ore vein most. The mine with a diameter of 500 meters is like a huge vortex embedded in the mountains, with the deepest depth of 350 meters. The huge pit and the inner wall of the ore vein circle by circle the downward lane, reminding every visitor that there is a magnificent history hidden here.

In the fifties and sixties of last century, elites from all over the country gathered in Koktohai. In its heyday, the permanent population of the town exceeded 40000, and the number of employees reached 5000. The builders used the same passion as fire and the spirit of hard struggle to build roads to the depths of mountains, block rivers, build dams, build power plants, build factories, schools, and hospitals, The first modern industrial town in Xinjiang has been built.

When I was a child, the father of a miner left the impression on Bahati Buick that he went out early and returned late every day, sometimes without even paying attention to his family. When he heard from his father that among the 140 kinds of minerals known in the world, there were 86 kinds of Koktokay, which made him very proud. The No. 3 ore vein once provided necessary materials for China's defense and military industries such as "two bombs and one satellite", aerospace - beryllium used in the successful explosion of China's first atomic bomb, lithium used in the successful explosion of the first hydrogen bomb, tantalum and niobium used in the joint test of the first nuclear submarine, and cesium used in the first artificial satellite. Therefore, No.3 ore vein is also known as "Meritorious Mine".

In the 1980s and 1990s, due to changes in market demand and resource reserves, a large number of employees left Koktokay, leaving behind old objects, old bills, old books and newspapers, which were piled up in the central street of the town. Bahatibuk had mixed feelings: "These old objects have traces of the struggle of their parents, and can not be found if lost!"

So, Bahati Buick looked for "treasure" in the "garbage heap" in everyone's eyes. He took the old things he had picked up home, cleaned them and put them in order. Sometimes, in order to collect relevant items, he has to trade in the old for the new, and more often, he has to pay for them. From commemorative medals, cloth stamps and stamps to bicycles, typewriters and desks, he has collected more than 5000 old objects, known as "Taobao Man" of Koktokay.

Bahati Buick also visited hundreds of old miners and their families to discover their stories. The first ethnic minority miner who joined the Communist Party of China and the first national level pacesetter in the Koktokay mining area were recorded one by one by him. During his visit, he was moved that almost every miner would tell one or two stories about An Guihuai, the former party secretary and director of the Koktokay Mining Bureau.

In 2015, the Koktokay Geological Exhibition Hall was renovated. Bahati Buick donated more than 100 old objects to the exhibition hall and explained them to tourists on a voluntary basis. He always tells people the story of a photo in the museum. In the middle of the photo is a man wearing a woolen coat and a ermine hat - he is An Guihuai. Although the miners around An Guihuai were wearing worn uniforms, everyone's face was full of bright smiles. "This photo is the most telling. At that time, Secretary An was going to Beijing for a meeting, but he didn't have a decent dress. When he learned the news, the workers pooled money to buy a hat and coat for him, and asked him to go to Beijing to meet Chairman Mao. After returning to the mine, he came directly to the workers without even entering his home to convey the spirit of the meeting. This photo was taken at that time." Bahati Buick said that An Guihuai is the representative of the Koktokay spirit of "hard work, hard struggle, selfless dedication, and glory for the country".

It is based on the refining of Koktokay spirit that Koktokay has transformed from a mining town to a red culture tourism town. In 2014, Koktokay Town was rated as a famous historical and cultural town in China. Kektuohai Rare Metal National Mine Park is the first national mine park in Xinjiang, with No. 3 ore vein, Ayigozi mine cave, wooden bridge and buildings, covering six categories of advantageous resources such as historical records of mining development and mineral and mining relics, providing basic resources for Kektuohai Town to carry out research, practice and education.

When coming to the town, people visit the Koktohai Geological Museum, wander in the long river of history, and watch the old objects record the hardships and self-improvement; Go through the Ayiguzi mine cave, recall the scene of mining predecessors across time and space, and explore the touching story behind the mine cave; Standing in front of the No. 3 ore vein, shocked by its annual ring like winding mountain ore path

"The Koktokay Sea is rich in history and culture, and only through continuous exploration and development can it be better inherited. I want to tell the glorious history of the Koktokay Sea through a series of old photos, old objects and interview classes, so that people can feel the charm of red culture and learn from the progressive force." Bahatibuk said. (Jia Chunxia)

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