The Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site is nestled against the rugged Taihang Mountains’ Zhoukoudian Longgu Mountain, overlooking the expansive North China Plain. A small river flows gently in front of the mountains. This site was home to early humans, including Peking Man from 500,000 years ago, the New Cave People from 100,000 to 200,000 years ago, and the Upper Cave People from 10,000 to 30,000 years ago.
The Zhoukoudian site consists of two main areas: the archaeological site and the museum. The archaeological site includes several fossil locations such as the famous Peking Man Cave, New Cave, and Upper Cave. Among these, the Peking Man Cave is the most significant part of the site, known for being the first place where Peking Man skulls were discovered.
The museum is divided into a prelude hall and six exhibition halls, showcasing a wealth of valuable cultural relics, animal fossils, and stone tools. The exhibits, presented with rich text and images, provide a comprehensive interpretation of the historical significance of the Zhoukoudian site.
Travel Information about Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site
Tickets and Opening Hours
Tickets: Museum – 30 RMB, Heritage Park – 30 RMB.
Opening Hours:
- Peak Season (April to October): 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Off-peak Season (November to March): 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
How to Get There
Location: No. 1 Zhoukoudian Street, Fangshan District, Beijing, within the China Fangshan World Geopark Zhoukoudian Park.
Public Transportation: Take bus 836 or 917 from Beijing West Railway Station South Square or Liuliqiao East to Zhoukoudian Intersection, then walk 1.5 kilometers to the site.
By Car: Exit the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway (formerly the Beijing-Shijiazhuang Expressway) at Yancun, then follow the Jingzhou Road directly to the site.
Attraction Ratings
- Cultural: ★★★★★
- Scenic Beauty: ★★★
- Unique Features: ★★★★★
- Romantic: ★
- Relaxation: ★★★
- Excitement: ★★
Highlights of Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site
Archaeological Site
The Zhoukoudian site is divided into 26 locations. To the west of Zhoukoudian village, there are two parallel hills running east to west. The eastern hill features a large cave, known as the first site, colloquially referred to as “Peking Man Cave.” This cave extends approximately 140 meters from east to west and is about 20 meters wide at its widest point.
Archaeologists discovered evidence of fire use at this site, including five ash layers, two well-preserved ash deposits, and burnt bones found in various strata indicating human activity. Additionally, burnt elm seeds, burned stones, and burned soil blocks were found, and some stone tools showed signs of being charred.
Fossils of “Peking Man” have been found from the second to third layers. These include six bones, twelve skull fragments, fifteen mandibles, 157 teeth, seven femurs, one tibia, three humeri, one clavicle, and one vomer, as well as some skull and facial bone fragments. The “Peking Man” remains belong to more than 40 individuals, but the majority of the fossils went missing around the time of the Pearl Harbor incident. Currently, the preserved human fossils from the first site in China include seven teeth, one fragment of a humerus, one tibia, one parietal bone, one occipital bone, and one well-preserved mandible. Three teeth discovered before 1927 are held in Sweden, managed by the early Zhoukoudian researcher, Andersson.
Inside the site museum, there is a 300-square-meter simulated excavation area. It is divided into 1-square-meter grids using a gridding method. Under the guidance of professional staff from the museum, visitors can use specialized excavation tools to dig in these grids. During the excavation process, the guide will also explain prehistoric archaeological excavation procedures and how to identify fossils, allowing people to experience the excitement of archaeological digging.
Zhoukoudian Site Museum
The Zhoukoudian Site Museum, established in 1953, is the first museum in China dedicated to prehistoric human remains. The museum comprises seven exhibition halls, including:
- Lobby: Features a panoramic view of the Zhoukoudian site along with introductions in Chinese, English, and Japanese.
- First Exhibition Hall: Displays a sand table of the Zhoukoudian site, its geographical location, and the distribution of various excavation sites.
- Second Exhibition Hall: Provides a historical overview of the Zhoukoudian site through precious historical photographs and artifacts, detailing its discovery and excavation process.
- Third Exhibition Hall: Focuses on the physical characteristics of “Peking Man,” the manufacturing of stone tools, use of fire, and scenes of gathering and hunting, presented through various forms including artifacts, images, and charts.
- Fourth Exhibition Hall: Explains the formation of the Ape-Man Cave and exhibits the living environment of “Peking Man” along with associated animal fossils.
- Fifth Exhibition Hall: Covers the excavation results and fossil displays from the Upper Cave, Site 4, Site 15, Site 14, Site 2, Site 13, and Site 20.
- Sixth Exhibition Hall: Features findings from Site 27 (Tianyuan Cave) and includes sculptures of human evolution and a screening room.
Related Details:
- The museum features a 3D screening room. During the off-season, there are two screenings daily at 9:30 and 14:00. During the peak season, there are four screenings daily at 9:30, 10:30, 14:00, and 15:00. Each screening lasts 8 minutes and is limited to 45 people.
- The museum offers various interactive educational projects, including 3D animation, simulated excavations, hands-on creation, bone needle polishing, and model assembly. Visitors can use plaster and molds to create replicas of ape-man heads, giant deer antlers, and other models under professional guidance. Additionally, visitors can take home the models they create as souvenirs.
- The museum provides free guided tours in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean, with explanations given every half hour. For groups, tours are available upon arrival. The guided tour lasts approximately 90 minutes (excluding time spent on interactive activities). Audio guides in Chinese, English, Japanese, French, and Korean are also available.
Visitor Guide to Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site
Food and Accommodation
Visitors to the Zhoukoudian site can choose to return to downtown Beijing the same day or stay in Zhoukoudian Village or nearby Han Village.
For dining, the site’s staff cafeteria offers both buffet and à la carte options. Alternatively, visitors can dine at local restaurants on Zhoukoudian Street, such as the stewed meat restaurant or Longyuan Restaurant, which are popular choices.
Itinerary Recommendations
Route 1: Ape Man Cave (猿人洞) – Pigeon Hall (鸽子堂) – Site No. 15 (第15地点) – Site No. 4 (第4地点) – Site No. 12 (第12地点) – Site No. 3 (第3地点) – Cap Rock Accumulation (顶盖堆积) – Mountain Top Cave (山顶洞) – Museum (博物馆) – Scientist Memorial Park (科学家纪念园) – Site No. 2 (第2地点)
Route 2: Museum (博物馆) – Scientist Memorial Park (科学家纪念园) – Site No. 2 (第2地点) – Mountain Top Cave (山顶洞) – Cap Rock Accumulation (顶盖堆积) – Site No. 3 (第3地点) – Site No. 12 (第12地点) – Site No. 4 (第4地点) – Site No. 15 (第15地点) – Pigeon Hall (鸽子堂) – Ape Man Cave (猿人洞)