MEXICO CITY, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The ancient ruins of Teotihuacan are located in central Mexico, about 40 kilometers from Mexico City. As a world-renowned tourist destination, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The site's structures are laid out according to geometric and symbolic principles, featuring a grand and imposing scale. Among its most famous landmarks are the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.
The name of this archaeological site was not given by its original creators. By the time the Aztecs discovered it, Teotihuacan had long been abandoned, leaving behind only vast and mysterious ruins. In awe of this ancient city, the Aztecs named it the "City of the Gods." At its peak-centuries before the rise of the Aztecs-Teotihuacan was a thriving metropolis that controlled trade and religion, home to between 100,000 and 200,000 residents, making it one of the earliest great cities of the Americas.
Standing at the base of the Pyramid of the Sun, I look up at this massive stone structure, its terraced layers rising like a staircase leading to higher wisdom. The Avenue of the Dead stretches straight to the north, ending at the towering Pyramid of the Moon, which looms over the silent ruins.
Distant mountains stand quietly in the background. If we were to travel back to the 6th century and look out from this spot, we would see a far more vivid scene-low houses stretching between the pyramids, their walls adorned with vibrant murals, priests burning incense before the temples, and merchants weaving through the streets. At that time, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán-the predecessor of modern Mexico City-had yet to rise. The lakes of the Valley of Mexico reflected the city's silhouette, while Teotihuacan stood like an island floating above the currents of time.
As I walked along the Avenue of the Dead, I noticed that the ground beneath my feet was uneven. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the surface was riddled with marmot burrows. In a fleeting moment, a marmot poked its head out, cautiously looking around before retreating back into its hole. They scurry between these ancient stone steps, as if they have claimed this city, once belonging to gods and rulers, as their own and become the new masters of the ruins.
Photographer: Li Muzi■