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An aerial view of an ancient tomb dating back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/sx.gov.cn]

Two excavation sites in Shaoxing were recently listed among the top 10 archaeological discoveries of the year in Zhejiang province, local media reported on Dec 23.

The two discoveries are an ancient tomb dating back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and a former mansion of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) philosopher and military general Wang Yangming.

"Two years of excavation gave us a clear picture of the tomb's layout. The new landmarks will give us a better understanding of the tomb's design, which reflects the royal funeral culture of the Southern Song Dynasty," said Li Huida, leader of the excavation team at the tomb in Shaoxing.

The tomb belonged to emperors of the Southern Song Dynasty and was damaged in multiple wars and dynastic transitions. Local authorities said they hope to build an archaeological park centering the tomb to integrate Shaoxing's culture and tourism industries.

"The mansion is the only recognized former mansion of Wang Yangming so far. It will be of great value to studies of Wang's philosophy," according to Yang Ruisheng, a researcher with the excavation team at the ruins of Wang's former mansion.

Shaoxing is Wang's birthplace and where his philosophy was developed and became widely circulated. His theory of benevolence, derived from Confucianism, states that, as component parts of the world, every person should maintain close relationships with other people and be aware of their own actions.