Porcelain vase from Guzhen porcelain kiln, Hejin, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"We place more emphasis on whether the findings are relevant in academic research, even if some objects are not that good looking from the public's points of view," he said.

Employing more study methods from the natural sciences has become a new trend in Chinese archaeology. For example, plant seeds were found among some sites and had to be identified and the chemical analysis of materials found at an ancient mining site was needed.