Models of China's first atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb. A manually operated mechanical computer used in the research and development of China's early nuclear weapons. A punching bag pummeled by the late Chairman Mao Zedong as he watched a military competition.

These unique attractions and many others are on display in a military exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which falls on August 1.

The show features a total of 970 pictures and 1,750 artifacts in an exhibiting area of 6,540 square meters at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing. It lasts from July 16 to August 20 and admission is free.

Guo Dehe, Curator of the museum, noted that this exhibition has drawn greater attention from the authorities, is of a larger scale, displays more exhibits and covers a longer time period than previous ones. "It recaps the 58-year history of the PLA since the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949," he said.

Over the past decades, the PLA has transformed itself from an army relying on "millet and rifles" to one that is efficient and increasingly modernized and consists of various services-all serving as a staunch guardian of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to the organizers, the thread that goes through the exhibition is the progress of China's national defense and armed forces since 1949. With the theme of demonstrating the PLA's loyalty to the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), readiness to serve the people and traditional heroism, the exhibition highlights the Chinese military's contributions to safeguarding and promoting the development of the country, organizers said.

The exhibition is divided into seven distinctive parts. In the first part, the strategic decisions made by CPC and PLA leaders are illustrated. Shortly after the founding of the People's Republic, a decision was taken to build a modernized revolutionary military to adapt to the change of the PLA's mission: from seizing state power through armed struggle to safeguarding and building the country. In June 1985, Deng Xiaoping announced that the PLA would downsize its troops by 1 million within the next three years in a bid to nurture a more elite force.

The second part of the exhibition shows off the combat prowess of the PLA. The highlight is given to the Chinese People's Volunteers in the Korean War (1950-53) and other battles fought by the PLA. Also on display are the first national and army flags raised by the Chinese troops stationed in Hong Kong and Macao. The PLA's entry into Hong Kong and Macao is believed to be a symbol of China's resumption to exercise sovereignty over the two former Western colonies.

Part three focuses on the political and cultural fronts. On display are pictures of art performances staged by PLA actors and actresses, military books, honorary badges, and portraits of heroes and role models.

The next part focuses on logistic support. The service people's uniforms have been redesigned more than 10 times since 1949. The latest style shown at the exhibition looks more fashionable than ever, as designers have refined the cut and the sizing of the uniforms. In this section, pictures of multifunctional military ports and airports as well as the railway, highway, air, and water transportation systems are displayed.

Also shown are an information technology-based fund management system, an online bidding system for purchasing military supplies and an auto transportation control system using satellite and ground networks. At the height of the SARS epidemic in 2003, the PLA set up a hospital in Beijing to treat SARS patients in just seven days. While saving 672 lives, no hospital staff were affected, a telling example of the PLA's efficient medical service.