Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian is located in the north of Mount Longgu in Zhoukoudian of Fangshan District, about 50 kilometers from downtown Beijing. As the birthplace cradle of Peking man, it’s China’s major cultural relics of the ancient human being and the world’s archaeological site of ancient human being and vertebrate paleontology. Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian mainly refers to 8 cultural relics of the ancient human being and mammal fossil sites on Mount Longgu. It becomes world-renowned as relatively complete Peking man fossils were unearthed in this site in the 1920's. Especially in the year 1929, the first Peking man skull was discovered, which provides a firm basis for the proof of the existence of the Peking man, and it’s regarded as a milestone in the history of ancient human being research. In December 1987, Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian was listed as world cultural heritage by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.
So far, the unearthed human being fossils at Zhoukoudian include 6 skulls, 15 mandibles, 157 teeth and a large number of bone fragments, which represent about 40 Peking man individuals, providing physical basis on the research of the early evolutionary biology and the early cultural development of ancient human beings. As the national key cultural relic’s protection unit, Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian is the characteristic human site of lower Palaeolithic times which is the most vivid, the most systematic, the most valuable and contains the most abundant human fossil materials and plant fossil categories in the world so far.
Three representative remains include the Peking Man Site, the Upper Cave Man Site and the New Cave Man Site. In 1921, a cave was discovered at Zhoukoudian. Archaeologists confirmed it as the habitat of Peking Man. Today, it is called Locality One or Apeman Cave. In 1929, the discovery of a complete skull fossil by a Chinese Paleontologist, Pei Wenzhong, caused excitement around the world. The skull fossil could be traced back 500,000-700,000 years ago, proving the existence of Sinanthropus .This discovery serves as reliable and convincing evidence for the theory of evolution. Since then, Zhoukoudian has become known as the 'Home of Apeman'. Decades of scientific work and excavation revealed many skeletal fossils of the ancient Peking Man, stone and bone implements and ash residues.
The Upper Cave Man Site was discovered in 1930 and was excavated in 1933. It is located above the Apeman Cave near the peak of the Dragon Bone Hill. The cave is about 13 feet (4 meters) high and 16 feet (5 meters) wide. Three complete skull fossils and many other fossils were discovered here. Around the skeletons red hematite powder was also discovered. Other finds include bone needles, animal teeth and the remains of necklaces that were used as ornaments. These remains prove the utilization of animal furs to make clothes and to dress themselves to keep warm. According to scientific research, the Upper Cave Man lived about 18,000 years ago with their physical character being quite similar to that of modern man.
In 1973, the New Cave Man Site was found in Locality Four, 328 feet (100 meters) south to the Apeman Cave. The New Cave Man lived 100,000 years ago. The discovery of this site bridges the gap between Peking Man and Upper Cave Man, and the succession of Peking Man's evolution. One tooth, fossils of amniotes and other animal fossils were unearthed here.
These cultural relics are very valuable in the study of the origin and evolution of human species. In 1987, the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. A park is built on the basis of Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site in recent years. Visitors can learn about the long history of human beings as they climb the mountain. The game house in the site park is a great place for children to experience hunting and collecting activities, providing them an opportunity to learn about our ancestors.
The museum also houses a 4D movie theater, where films about primitive life of our ancestors are shown. With an interactive zone, the museum is instructive and entertaining. Stand before an interactive device and wave your hands as it guides you, you will see a primitive counterpart. Besides, in front of every exhibition hall, there is a touch screen which gives detailed information about the relics.



Travel Tip:
Chinese name and Pinyin: 周口店猿人遗址 (zhou kou dian yuan ren yi zhi)Tel: 86-10-69301287
Admission Fee: CNY 30
Opening time: (Apr.-Oct.): 08:30 to 16:30 (ticket sales ends at 16:00)
(Nov.-Mar.):09:00 to 16:00 (ticket sales ends at 15:30)
Add: Longgu (Dragon Bone) Mountain, Zhoukoudian, Fangshan District, which is locted some 50 kilometers southwest of Beijing.
How to Get to Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian?
By Bus:
Take bus No. 917, 836 from Tianqiao to Zhoukoudian, and then transfer Fangshan Bus No. 38 to Peking Man Site;
Take Bus No. 616 from the south square of Beijing West Train Station and get off at Liang Xian g Ximen, then transfer to Fangshan Bus No. 38 to Peking Man Site.
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