Archaeological sites bear witness to history and embody the inheritance of culture. As April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day, we've selected ten archaeological sites in China that merit exploration.

1. Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park, Beijing

As the royal resort of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Yuanmingyuan, or Old Summer Palace, was widely considered the apex of Chinese gardening art. It was burned and rooted by invading Anglo-French forces in 1860.

First constructed in 1707, this former imperial garden, covering roughly 350 hectares in the northwest of Beijing, witnessed the rules of six emperors.

It was one of the first national archaeological parks on the list issued by the National Cultural Heritage Administration in 2010.