Archaeologicalsitesbearwitnesstohistoryandembodytheinheritanceofculture.AsApril18markstheInternationalDayforMonumentsandSites(国际古迹遗址日,guójìgǔjìyízhǐrì),alsoknownasWorldHeritageDay(世界遗产日,shìjièyíchǎnrì),we'veselectedtenarchaeologicalsitesinChinathatmeritexploration.
6.TheJinshasite,Sichuanprovince(四川金沙遗址,sìchuānjīnshāyízhǐ)
IvoryunearthedattheJinshasite.[PhotoprovidedtoChinaDaily]
LocatedinChengdu,capitalcityofSichuanprovince,theJinshasiteistheurbancenteroftheancientShuKingdom(古蜀国市中心,gǔshǔguóshìzhōngxīn)andfeaturesthedistinctShuculturethatemergedduringtheShangandZhoudynasties(c.16thcentury-256BC)(商周时期,shāngzhōushíqī).Itscivilization,alongwiththeSanxingduicivilization,wastwoofthepeaksofdevelopmentinancientShuhistory.
TheJinshasitehasexcavatedthedensestcollectionofivory(象牙制品,xiàngyázhìpǐn)andthemostabundantgoldandjadeartifacts(金银工艺品,jīnyíngōngyìpǐn)ofanysitedatingbacktothesameperiodglobally.Themostfamous"SunandImmortalBirdsGoldOrnament"(太阳神鸟金饰,tàiyángshénniǎojīnshì),hasbeendesignatedasasymbolofChineseculturalheritageandthesymbolofChengdu'surbanimage.
7.TheYinxuRuins,Henanprovince(河南殷墟,hénányīnxū)
DisplayedoraclebonesunearthedfromtheYinxuRuins.[Photo/VCG]
TheYinxuRuins,aUNESCOWorldHeritageSiteinAnyangcity,Henanprovince,wasanancientcapitaloftheShangDynasty(c.16thcentury-11thcenturyBC).
Spreadingacrossover30squarekilometers,thearcheologicalsitefeaturesthegreatestnumberoforacleboneinscriptions(甲骨文,jiǎgǔwén)discoveredsofarintheworld,andaseriesofunparalleledculturalrelics(文物,wénwù)includingbronzeandjadeware(青铜器和玉器,qīngtóngqìhéyùqì).
8.TomboftheMarquisofHaihun,Jiangxiprovince(江西海昏侯墓,jiāngxīhǎihūnhóumù)
CulturalrelicsondisplaytorecreatethedailylifeofMarquisofHaihun.[Photo/VCG]
ThetomboftheMarquisofHaihun,datingbacktoWesternHanDynasty(206BC-25AD),islocatednearNanchanginEastChina'sJiangxiprovince.It'sthebest-preservedroyaltombsoftheWestHanDynasty(西汉皇家陵墓,xīhànhuángjiālíngmù)everdiscoveredinChina.
Theownerofthemaintomb,LiuHe(刘贺,liúhè),wasthegrandsonofEmperorWu,thegreatestruleroftheHanDynasty,oneofthemostprosperousperiodsinChina'shistory.Liuwasgiventhetitle"MarquisofHaihun"afterhewasdeposedasemperorafteronly27days,dethronedbytheroyalclanbecauseofhislackoftalentandmorals.HaihunistheancientnameofaverysmallkingdominthenorthofJiangxi.
Excavationofthetombbeganin2011andmorethan10,000artifactsincludinggold,bronzeandjadeartifacts(黄金、青铜器和玉器,huángjīn、qīngtóngqìhéyùqì)havebeenunearthed.
9.TheDamingPalace,Shaanxiprovince(陕西大明宫,shǎnxīdàmínggōng)
DanfengGateoftheDamingPalace.[Photo/VCG]
Famousforitssuper-largescaleandmagnificentbuildings,DamingPalace(PalaceofGreatBrightness)wasthemainroyalpalaceintheTangDynasty(618-907)whereTangemperorslivedanddealtwithstateaffairs.
Covering3.2squarekilometers,itfullydemonstratesthemajesticstyleofpalatialarchitectureduringtheTangempire.
10.TheDayaoLongquanKilnssite,Zhejiangprovince(浙江大窑龙泉窑遗址,zhèjiāngdàyáolóngquányáoyízhǐ)
Atripod,whichwasusedtowashwritingbrushes,fromtheSouthernSongtoYuandynasties(1127-1368).[PhotobyJiangDong/ChinaDaily]
TheDayaoLongquanKilnssiteishometoagroupofkilns(窑,yáo)locatedinLongquancityinZhejiangprovince,andwasoncethecoreproductionareaofLongquanceladon(龙泉青瓷,lóngquánqīngcí)inChina.Today,thisisaprotectedareacovering5.2squarekilometersandcontains126kilnsites.
TheLongquanceladonisknownforitselegantcolors,especiallyjadegreenandlightblue.StartingintheThreeKingdomsperiod(220-280),theLongquanKilnscontinuedtooperatefor1,600yearsupuntilthelateQingDynasty(1644-1911).TheLongquanKilnsweremainlyusedtoservetheroyalfamiliesduringtheSongandearlyMing(1368-1644)dynasties,beforeceladonbecameapillarofoverseastradeinthe12thto15thcenturies.
In2009,thetraditionalfiringtechnologyofLongquanCeladonwasincludedonUNESCO'sIntangibleCulturalHeritageofHumanityList.