ZHENGZHOU, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The construction of a national archaeological park began Thursday in central China's Henan Province to bring people back to the former capital of the Shang Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago.

With a total investment of about 15 billion yuan (2.1 billion U.S. dollars), the project will cover the whole protection zone of Yinxu, or the Yin Ruins, which were added to the World Heritage List in 2006 by UNESCO.

The ruins boast archaeological remnants of the ancient city of Yin, the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.). The oracle bone scripts discovered within the ruins are considered to be the oldest Chinese inscriptions.

As the core project of the park, a museum will be built. Covering an area of about 14.3 hectares, the museum will display the archaeological achievements of the Yin Ruins over the past 70 years.

Meanwhile, the project will involve several renovations of palaces, royal mausoleums, an ancient village and a workshop.

"The archaeological park will protect and display many historical relics and present an archaeology-based layout of Yin," said Li Xiaoyang, head of the cultural relics bureau of Anyang, the city where the Yin Ruins are located.

The construction of the park will take eight to 10 years to complete. Enditem

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