Discoveries illuminate origins of civilization

During the two sessions, Gu proposed upgrading the curriculum for undergraduate students majoring in archaeology to include open courses in obscure and esoteric disciplines, such as astronomy and calendar systems, kanyu (Chinese geomancy), and totemic symbols.

"Although they are no longer used today, such disciplines were important to ancient people, as they constituted their belief system," says Gu.

He says that few such university courses exist at the moment. As a result, many archaeology majors know little about them, a situation he wants to change.

"We want to build archaeology with Chinese features, style and ethos, and that cannot be achieved without sufficient understanding of our own culture. We need to understand what ancient people thought, and pass on the heritage they left behind," Gu says.