From 1997 onwards, there has been attempts to locate the wreckage of the Zhiyuan.
During a dredging process near the mouth of the Yalu discovered hull fragments from the Chinese vessels.
In 2013, a shipwreck was discovered near Dandong Port and subsequently code-named "Dandong No 1".
After an almost two year long investigation, it was officially confirmed as the wreck of Zhiyuan.
Further excavation work then ensued 59 kilometres (37 mi) south of the Yalu.
Over 100 items have since been salvaged from Zhiyuan, including weapons, parts of the ship and items relate do the daily life of the crew.

A broken china plate bearing the name of Zhiyuan was found, which helped to identify the vessel.
Naval historian Chen Yue stressed the importance of finding common living items to those researching the Sino-Japanese War and expressed a high hope of discovering the official seal of the vessel.
He said, "The ship seal was invariably made of good materials and stored in a sturdy box.
It is highly possible that we can find it."
During the excavation, the bodies of seven of the crew were recovered.
The idea of floating the wreck were initially discounted due to the risk of structural collapse, but plans to raise the vessel have not yet been finalised.
It is intended for the artifacts to be displayed at a new museum, located in nearby Dandong.
From 1997 onwards, there has been attempts to locate the wreckage of the Zhiyuan. During a dredging process near the mouth of the Yalu discovered hull fragments from the Chinese vessels. In 2013, a shipwreck was discovered near Dandong Port and subsequently code-named "Dandong No 1". After an almost two year long investigation, it was officially confirmed as the wreck of Zhiyuan. Further excavation work then ensued 59 kilometres (37 mi) south of the Yalu. Over 100 items have since been salvaged from Zhiyuan, including weapons, parts of the ship and items relate do the daily life of the crew.
A broken china plate bearing the name of Zhiyuan was found, which helped to identify the vessel. Naval historian Chen Yue stressed the importance of finding common living items to those researching the Sino-Japanese War and expressed a high hope of discovering the official seal of the vessel. He said, "The ship seal was invariably made of good materials and stored in a sturdy box. It is highly possible that we can find it." During the excavation, the bodies of seven of the crew were recovered. The idea of floating the wreck were initially discounted due to the risk of structural collapse, but plans to raise the vessel have not yet been finalised. It is intended for the artifacts to be displayed at a new museum, located in nearby Dandong.
Chinese cruiser Zhiyuan