China's urban construction in the new era is moving from a functional city to a cultural city. It is urgent to shape the cultural soul of the city and tell the story of the city through the art form popular with the people during the current new urbanization transformation. Subway is the main underground artery of the city and also an important platform to display and shape the city's cultural memory. In the creation of artworks in the stations of Hohhot Subway Lines 1 and 2, an attempt is made in the local narration of public art to integrate traditional Chinese culture, local context and spirit of the times. With Recollection on Qingcheng of Line 1 and Royal Road Obtained by Diligent Study of Line 2 as examples, not only the typical local elements are used in the creative materials, but also the distinctive local cultural characteristics are embodied in theme, language organization and narrative transmission, which is in line with the acceptance habits and aesthetic needs of local people. Collective cultural memory is extracted and recreated with the help of artistic language. Educating people with aesthetics and imperceptibly spreading advanced socialist ideology and culture with Chinese characteristics are not only an effective cultural service project in public space, but also a beneficial practice in constructing Chinese discourse system in the field of public art, which can be used for reference.