Racing to capture ancient sites

The bigger challenge in exploring China's antiquities, he said, is finding them. Many sites exist only in written descriptions, with no photographs or precise location. To protect them, some cultural relic authorities do not disclose their addresses. He searches satellite maps and media reports for clues. He reads archaeological reports carefully and has taught himself a great deal of history since university.

"When displaying my work on social media, I also include my annotations," Rong said. "I mark the highlights of a relic site. I mark the locations of different buildings. Many cultural relics are backfilled after archaeological excavation. I have to compare the archaeological reports and mark that information on my aerial photographs."

He has put considerable effort into presenting information visually. "I'm not good at writing long essays, but I'm very good at annotating information on images," he said.

For now, however, he has no time to do that at home. He is planning more field visits to "visit antiquities early".

chenliang@chinadaily.com.cn