History revived

Daming Park was designed by the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design and the Shanghai Tongji Urban Planning and Design Institute in 2007.

Their work highlighted Xi'an's imperial gardens and Tang culture, while incorporating proposals from Israeli, Italian, Australian and Norwegian designers.

The aim was to create "a perfect integration of relics, culture, environment and livelihood," said park planners.

They explained they wanted the area to be attractive to not only professional historians and archaeologists, but also to local residents and tourists.

Originally built with wood and earth, much of Daming Palace has been lost to the elements. But planners rebuilt parts of the structure, installed signs and added vegetation.

The greening projects were designed to help promote clean air and control temperature.

Planners also produced a series of high-tech visual aids to illustrate the site's historical value, including a 3D IMAX film.

While the park is open to the public, experts and technicians are still conducting archaeological surveys to locate relics and unearth foundational structures.

A Daming Palace replica is currently on display at the World Expo in Shanghai. Officials hope it stands as an example of heritage preservation achieved with international cooperation.