A recent feature in a national media outlet explores the FAW Museum in Changchun, using this new exhibition space to decode the city's practice of revitalizing and upgrading an old industrial base.
From the first Chinese-made vehicle, a big-nosed truck, to intelligent, connected hydrogen fuel cell trucks; from the country's first sedan, adorned with a "Chinese dragon" hood ornament, to a flying car capable of vertical takeoff—these are some of the highlights. On the 70th anniversary of the first Chinese-made vehicle rolling off the assembly line, the FAW Museum has recently opened to the public. It showcases over 150 real vehicles from different eras and precious historical materials, illustrating the journey of China's "Cradle of the Automotive Industry" from nothing to something, and from weak to strong.
The FAW Museum is located in an old factory building with a red brick facade, situated inside Gate 1 of the FAW factory complex in Changchun, Jilin Province. Constructed in 1953, the building originally served as a tool workshop for the First Automobile Works and has been designated as a key national cultural relic protection site. The "Tank Stone Road" leading to the museum was specially paved to support heavy vehicles, and countless trucks once traveled this path to construction sites across the nation.
Upon entering the exhibition hall, the internal beam and truss structure reflects the industrial architectural style of the mid-20th century. On July 15, 1953, the First Automobile Works was officially established, marking the start of China's automotive industry. A group of sculptures titled "Struggling Against Heaven and Earth" recreates two stories of the factory's construction. The left part of the sculpture depicts the summer of 1954, when builders worked through heavy rain, overcoming challenges like landslides to ensure the project stayed on schedule. The right part shows the winter construction phase, where workers creatively used steam from locomotive engines, piped into the factory, to prevent the concrete from freezing.
It was under these conditions that the first domestically produced Jiefang truck rolled off the final assembly line on July 13, 1956, ending China's history of being unable to manufacture automobiles. This dark green truck is now on display in the exhibition hall. Its iconic long nose and rounded front design reflect the style of heavy-duty trucks from that era. Details like the eight horizontal chrome grille bars, the large and small tungsten round headlights, and the upside-down windshield wipers all convey a simple, powerful aesthetic from that period. Crouching down, visitors can see the chassis number "000001," marking it as the country's first vehicle.
Shi Jinglong, a special-grade CNC machine tool technician at FAW Jiefang's Commercial Vehicle Development Institute, felt deeply moved after the exhibition. "It was incredibly difficult for the pioneers, starting from scratch, to build New China's first car," he said. "I must take up the baton in this new era, holding fast to my original intention with craftsmanship in my position."
If the first Chinese-made truck had a certain Soviet style, the country's first domestically produced car was full of "Chinese flavor." Viewed from the front, the body is primarily red with white accents. The hood ornament is designed as a Chinese dragon, symbolizing the rise of the Eastern dragon. At the rear, two bright red "palace lanterns" replicate the shape of ancient red gauze lanterns. This Dongfeng CA71 sedan was successfully trial-produced on May 12, 1958, accomplished through self-reliance despite a lack of experience.
Just over a month after creating the Dongfeng sedan, FAW plunged into the development of a luxury car. In only 33 days, the country's first high-end sedan was born on August 1, 1958, and named Hongqi (Red Flag). The car is stately and elegant, with a hood ornament shaped like a red flag fluttering in the wind. The front grille features a Chinese folding fan pattern, the bumper rub strips are shaped like auspicious clouds, and the rear taillights continue the "palace lantern" design. The long body, accented by a chrome beltline, exudes a dignified aura.
Jia Yanliang, the nearly 90-year-old designer of the Hongqi CA770, was full of emotion on the museum's opening day as he stood before the car he designed in his twenties, alongside other models from different eras. "Seeing these cars, I feel they have always carried on the unique characteristics and style of Chinese automobiles," he said.
After appreciating the classic models, the futuristic Hongqi Tiannian 1 flying car captures visitors' attention, drawing their gaze toward the future. Its sleek, black, streamlined cabin is accented with gold trim, and the roof is equipped with eight sets of rotor supports. The modular, air-ground dual-purpose structure is full of sci-fi appeal. It can take off and land vertically without a runway, has an airborne range of 200 kilometers, and is equipped with multiple safety protection technologies. This type of flying car is bringing the concept of "low-altitude travel" from a dream into reality.
Over the past 70-plus years, China's automotive industry has grown from a starting point of "poverty and blankness," matured through the tide of reform and opening up, and now leads industrial trends in the new era. The FAW Museum presents this magnificent journey, conveying a strength for continued progress. This corresponds to the eight characters on the museum's entrance door: Independence, Self-Reliance, Self-Improvement, and Hard Work.
Curator's Insight
Pan Cheng, a member of the FAW Museum preparation team and one of its curators, explained that the museum breaks away from the traditional model of listing brands and models. Using "Cradle of the Automotive Industry, Pioneer of a Strong Nation" as its main theme, it creates an immersive, time-traveling narrative exhibition system. The layout follows the development trajectory of FAW over 70 years, using a layered shift of natural light and scene atmosphere to blend heavy industrial features, historical red heritage, and cutting-edge scientific achievements. This concretely presents the transformation of the domestic automotive industry from pioneering, to overcoming challenges, and finally leading in scientific innovation.
The museum uses an unobstructed, immersive display for key models like the Jiefang CA10 and Hongqi CA772, paired with a 1:1 restored old workshop scene. This allows static industrial relics to be seen, traced back to their origins, and evoke empathy. The exhibition hall also features special interactive areas, such as a workshop office, a Hongqi assembly workbench, an immersive Hongqi cockpit experience, and an Eastern aesthetics display, allowing visitors of all ages and interests to deeply engage.