6. The Jinsha site, Sichuan province

Located in Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan province, the Jinsha site is the urban center of the ancient Shu Kingdom and features the distinct Shu culture that emerged during the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c.16th century-256 BC). Its civilization, along with the Sanxingdui civilization, was two of the peaks of development in ancient Shu history.

The Jinsha site has excavated the densest collection of ivory and the most abundant gold and jade artifacts of any site dating back to the same period globally. The most famous "Sun and Immortal Birds Gold Ornament", has been designated as a symbol of Chinese cultural heritage and the symbol of Chengdu's urban image.

7. The Yinxu Ruins, Henan province

The Yinxu Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Anyang city, Henan province, was an ancient capital of the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC).

Spreading across over 30 square kilometers, the archeological site features the greatest number of oracle bone inscriptions discovered so far in the world, and a series of unparalleled cultural relics including bronze and jade ware.

8. Tomb of the Marquis of Haihun, Jiangxi province

The tomb of the Marquis of Haihun, dating back to Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- 25 AD), is located near Nanchang in East China's Jiangxi province. It's the best-preserved royal tombs of the West Han Dynasty ever discovered in China.

The owner of the main tomb, Liu He, was the grandson of Emperor Wu, the greatest ruler of the Han Dynasty, one of the most prosperous periods in China's history. Liu was given the title "Marquis of Haihun" after he was deposed as emperor after only 27 days, dethroned by the royal clan because of his lack of talent and morals. Haihun is the ancient name of a very small kingdom in the north of Jiangxi.

Excavation of the tomb began in 2011 and more than 10,000 artifacts including gold, bronze and jade artifacts have been unearthed.

9. The Daming Palace, Shaanxi province

Famous for its super-large scale and magnificent buildings, Daming Palace (Palace of Great Brightness) was the main royal palace in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) where Tang emperors lived and dealt with state affairs.

Covering 3.2 square kilometers, it fully demonstrates the majestic style of palatial architecture during the Tang empire.

10. The Dayao Longquan Kilns site, Zhejiang province

The Dayao Longquan Kilns site is home to a group of kilns located in Longquan city in Zhejiang province, and was once the core production area of Longquan celadon in China. Today, this is a protected area covering 5.2 square kilometers and contains 126 kiln sites.

The Longquan celadon is known for its elegant colors, especially jade green and light blue. Starting in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), the Longquan Kilns continued to operate for 1,600 years up until the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Longquan Kilns were mainly used to serve the royal families during the Song and early Ming (1368-1644) dynasties, before celadon became a pillar of overseas trade in the 12th to 15th centuries.

In 2009, the traditional firing technology of Longquan Celadon was included on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List.

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