China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) has ruled out the construction of a subway station under the 600-year-old palace site in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.

According to a design of the Nanjing subway, a station will be built under the site of palace of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). And the design was strongly criticized by experts and cultural heritage protection departments.

Beijing Youth Daily reported that SACH has issued a document to the relevant departments in Jiangsu Province, banning construction of the subway station under the palace site and suggesting another route outside the protection zone be selected.

An official with the administration said a large number of precious relics are buried under the palace site according to initial exploration.

The station should be moved far away from the palace site to protect the heritage, and that will get support from the citizens, the official said.

Experts say the Ming palace in Nanjing was the original version of the Forbidden City in Beijing, the palace for Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
 
(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2006)