A view of the southwest barbican of the inner city at the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the southwest barbican of the inner city at the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

People visit the remnants of the Ta'er Temple, an important Buddhist temple at the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province. /CGTN

People visit the remnants of the Ta'er Temple, an important Buddhist temple at the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province. /CGTN

The remnants of the city walls are seen at the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province. /CGTN

The remnants of the city walls are seen at the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province. /CGTN

A view of the remnants of Suoyang City in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the remnants of Suoyang City in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the remnants of the Ta'er Temple at the Suoyang City site, in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the remnants of the Ta'er Temple at the Suoyang City site, in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the remnants of Suoyang City in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the remnants of Suoyang City in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the remnants of Suoyang City in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A view of the remnants of Suoyang City in Guazhou County, Gansu Province /CGTN

A horse-drawn carriage crosses the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province. /CGTN

A horse-drawn carriage crosses the Suoyang City site in Guazhou County, Gansu Province. /CGTN

Once a vital transportation hub on the ancient Silk Roads, the Suoyang City site located in Guazhou County in northwest China's Gansu Province boasts one of the country's best-preserved ancient military defense systems and agricultural irrigation networks. Suoyang City was established in the Western Jin Dynasty (266-317) and was flourishing during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The site of the city covers an area of some 15,788 hectares and includes both the inner and outer cities, remnants of ancient canals and reclamation works, tombs, and an important Buddhist temple known as the Ta'er Temple, as well as other relics. In 2014, the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor.