Zhoukoudian Peking Man

On the North China Plain, the Peking Man site at Zhoukoudian is a Pleistocene site. The location is situated at the intersection of the Yanshan Range and the North China Plain, about 42 kilometers southwest of Beijing. According to scientists, the abundant water supply and natural limestone caves in this area contributed significantly to the creation of an optimized survival environment for early humans in China.

In 1921, the site of Pekingese was first discovered by Johan Gunnar Andersson, but it was not until Otto Zdansky's survey that he unearthed two human teeth in 1921 and 1923. Later scientists also discovered fissures in the Middle Pleistocene sediments containing limestone with about 45 individuals, as well as stone-cutting tools and scales.

Scientists have so far uncovered ancient human bones, cultural artifacts, and animal fossils from 23 places at the site that date from 5 million years to 10,000 years ago. These include the bones of Homo Erectus Pekinensis, which existed between 700,000 and 200,000 years ago in the Middle Pleistocene, archaic Homo sapiens, who lived between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago, and Homo sapiens sapiens, who appeared around 30,000 years ago. Over 100,000 stone tool pieces, hundreds of animal fossils, and evidence of Pekingese fire use, such as fireplaces, ash deposits, and burned bones, were all found in the same period.

Zhoukoudian is very significant in a global context since significant hominid sites identified in mainland Asia indicate an evolutionary cultural chain. In addition to serving as a unique reminder of the prehistoric human cultures that formerly existed in mainland Asia, it also serves as a valuable tool for studying and reconstructing the early history of humans. The discovery of hominid bones in Zhoukoudian and subsequent studies in the 1920s and 1930s sparked public attention and challenged the up to that moment largely accepted timeline of Human history. As a result, the scientific research and excavations at the Zhoukoudian site have contributed significantly to the history of both world science and archaeology.

It is very important to preserve and preserve the values of the Beijing Man Site in Zhoukoudian. The location where the ancient human fossils were discovered, the ancient humans' habitat, as well as the excavation and scientific research conducted there in the 1920s and 1930s, have all been preserved in their entirety and provide information about the exact cost and significant scientific value of the property. Unfortunately, the excavation was halted and severely damaged when the Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937. The previously found fossils of Sinanthropus Pekinensis have been disassembled or lost. Following the war, some human fossils discovered during fresh digs helped to partially make up for these losses. The conservation initiatives for the site have strictly complied with the guidelines for conserving cultural assets in terms of design, material, methods, and technology. Thus, the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian has kept its scientific relevance.

In sum, the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian:

• is situated at the intersection of the Yanshan Range and the North China Plain, about 42 kilometers southwest of Beijing.
• an optimized survival environment for early humans in China.
• fissures in the Middle Pleistocene sediments containing limestone with about 45 individuals, as well as stone-cutting tools and scales.
• scientists uncovered ancient human bones, cultural artifacts, and animal fossils from 23 places at the site that date from 5 million years to 10,000 years ago including the bones of Homo Erectus Pekinensis, archaic Homo sapiens, and Homo sapiens sapiens.
• have contributed significantly to the history of both world science and archaeology.