The conservation, restoration and identification of paper cultural relics require analyses of the composition and age of paper and writing/inking materials. With more and more importance attached to the preservation of paper cultural relics, non-destructive and micro-destructive analysis technologies have gained more attention, compared to destructive analysis. This article describes a variety of relevant technologies for non-destructive and micro-destructive analysis of paper cultural relics, including atomic force microscopy, confocal micro-Raman spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, fiber-optic reflectance spectrometry, terahertz spectrometry, micro-computed tomography, surface desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, accelerator mass spectrometry, near-infrared spectrometry combined with chemometrics (principal component analysis) or artificial intelligence algorithms (convolutional neural networks), and other technologies. The article also provides a perspective on the development of raw material identification, dye component analysis, and dating of paper cultural relics. Research on paper cultural relics involves multiple disciplines, and through the integration of these analytical technologies and practical work, the enhancement of academic exchange, and the promotion of relevant standard research, it will strongly contribute to the rapid development of methods for the preservation, restoration and identification of paper cultural relics.