A bird's eye view of Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park. [Photo/IC]

Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park is a must-visit attraction at Shanghai Sheshan National Tourist Resort, as it offers visitors a chance to explore the origins of Shanghai and the city's ancient way of life through a series of well-preserved relics.

The historical site was recognized as a 4A-level scenic area last year, the highest in China being 5A. It is located in the south of the resort in Shanghai's Songjiang district, about 30 kilometers away from downtown Shanghai.

Dubbed the "Root of Shanghai", the archaeological site, where relics of an ancient culture dating back to the Neolithic Age have been unearthed, is home to many artifacts left over from inhabitants living in the area 5,000 years ago.

Guangfulin was a cultural, political, economic, and transportation center in ancient times. Its original surroundings have been preserved at the park so that tourists can explore the area's authentic rural scenery, agriculture and ecological culture.

There are also specially-designed cultural and archaeological exhibition halls, as well as commercial districts, giving visitors the best of both the past and present.

The relic park includes different exhibition areas showcasing folk culture, religious culture and local cultural heritage.

It is popular among foreigners, especially international students in Shanghai, looking to experience Shanghai's culture.

On June 1, the park opened its public area for free while some venues in the park will still need tickets.

Major venues in the park include Guangfulin Cultural Museum, Guangfulin Archaeological Museum, Chen Zilong's Memorial Hall, Fulin Tower, Impressions of Fulin, Wooden Art Exhibition Hall, Antique Pottery Museum, Zhiye Temple, Sanyuan Palace, Town God's Temple, Temple of Guan Yu and Duoyun Academy of Classical Learning.

The Guangfulin Cutural Exhibition Hall is an impressive structure. [Photo/WeChat account: sheshanlvyoutopnews]

The Guangfulin Cultural Museum includes three buildings which are partially underwater, creating a spectacular scene. The three buildings feature displays of cultural relics, reproductions of folk customs from the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD220) and the story telling of important historical figures in ancient Shanghai.

The Guangfulin Archaeological Museum is designed to resemble clay pots half buried in the soil. [Photo/WeChat account: sheshanlvyoutopnews]

The Guangfulin Archaeological Museum covers 7,788 square meters and takes the form of three earthen pots and five broken pottery pieces, as its designer was inspired by the sight of pottery half buried in the earth during archaeological dig at the site.

The indoor exhibition area of the museum is 2,960 square meters in size and is divided into a main hall and three independent exhibition halls. With the tagline "Root of Shanghai", it uses an "Archaeology + Art" exhibition model to explore the history of Guangfulin's archaeological discoveries, the cultural relics themselves, and the value behind them.

Address: 3260 Guangfulin Rd, Songjiang district, Shanghai

Opening hours: 9 am to 5 pm (no entrance after 4:30 pm)

Contact: +86-021-57800000