Ye Wenjie and Red Coast Base

English

Red Coast Base Background

Red Coast Base is the starting point of the Three-Body story and the critical location of Ye Wenjie's fateful turning point. Located deep in the Greater Khingan Mountains of China, it was established under the pretense of detecting alien civilizations and was under direct control of the People's Liberation Army.

Ye Wenjie's Years at Red Coast: During a special era, Ye Wenjie was assigned to work at Red Coast Base. Her father, Ye Zhetai, was persecuted to death during the Cultural Revolution, and her mother and sister disowned her. At Red Coast, she experienced the deepest despair and discovered the information that would change humanity's fate.

The Truth of the Red Coast Project: Ostensibly a research base for monitoring alien civilizations, Red Coast Base also had the hidden capability to transmit signals into space. Ye Wenjie discovered this hidden function while on solitary duty.

The Signal That Changed Everything: In 1979, Ye Wenjie transmitted the first signal toward the sun. After eight long years of waiting, she received a reply from the Trisolaran civilization. The only part of the warning from Trisolaran monitor #1379 that she understood was the famous "Don't answer! Don't answer! Don't answer!"

Ye Wenjie chose to answer. She became the "switchboard operator" connecting the solar system and Trisolaris—the fuse of a tragic destiny.

Symbolism of Red Coast: Red Coast Base is a closed, desolate, secret-filled place, symbolizing the oppression and despair of that era. It was in this environment that one person's betrayal of humanity became possible. The name "Red Coast" suggests a red shoreline—where blood and hope intersect on the horizon.