China’s thousands of years of history are filled with countless stories of human growth, culture, and civilization, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Liangzhu aims to preserve one such story of historical significance. The remains of the 5,000-year-old city contain traces of complex societal hierarchy, primitive technology, and unique artifacts that show the ways people lived millennia ago. In its place now stands modern-day Hangzhou, an innovation hub that is home to some of the world’s leading tech giants. This meeting point between the past, present, and future provides an important lens to view human civilization—and the ancient ruins of Liangzhu are a reminder of where that journey began.