Some archaeological finds last year shed light on how various ethnic groups communicated with each other in ancient times. For example, the grave complex at Dasongshan site, Gui'an New Area, Guizhou province, which spanned more than 1,400 years — from the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

"The funerary objects unearthed include porcelain and bronze mirrors, with characteristics of the Central China Plain, and also cultural relics with the styles of other ethnic groups," said Huo Wei, a professor at Sichuan University in Chengdu.