Discover ed in the early 20 thcentury，the Zhoukoudian site near Beijing provided an extremelyrichfundoffossilizedmaterial sof early hominids.These were found in conjunction with extensive botanical fossils.From intensive study of these materials，we have gained an understanding of mankind’s early period，and we are able in a sense to listen to the distant echoing voices of our forebears.Thesiteisoneofthemostoutstandingamong anumber of sites relating to ancient hominids in China，others including the Yuanmou Man site in Yunnan and the Lantian Man site in Shaanxi.The discoveries at Zhoukoudian helped in providing humanity with a much clearer understanding of man’s development.Most early hominid sites in the world are located in remote and wild mountainous areas.Zhoukoudian is near an international capital，the city of Beijing.It provides a rare opportunity to those friends who come from all over the world to understand the culture of ancient man，and at the same time to begin to understand the long course of China’s civilization.
The“Peking Man Site，”as it is called，is located fifty kilometers to the southwest of the city of Beijing，in the Long-gu or“Dragon-Bone”Mountains of the Fangshan District.In the early twentieth century，foreign scholars who were doing research in China began to take an interest in the areas where local farmers gathered“dragon bones”which they used as a kind of medicinal cure.The Austrian paleontologist O.Zdansky and the Canadian surgeon，Davidson Black，as well as others，believed thatthese“dragon bones”might be the fossilized remainsof some rare ancient plant.Excavations were carried out at Zhoukoudian，under the supervision of foreign scholars and Chinese botanists and geologists such as Weng Wenhao and Yang Zhongjian.Fossilized teeth that appeared similar to those of early hominids were unearthed.In 1929，as a result of painstaking effort，the young paleontologist Pei Wenzhong excavated a nearly complete cranium and lower jaw and skeleton，a discovery that amazed the whole world.Scholars called the remains“Peking Man，”and went on to discover stone artifacts，bone artifacts and evidence of the use of fire，proving that hominids were active in what is now the Beijing region five hundred thousand years ago.In 1930，scholars excavated further fossilized remains of early hominids from around 200，000 years ago.Found at the upper part of Dragon-bone Mountain，these were given the name“Mountain-top Cave Man.”
In1935，withinthespaceofonemonthaworkernamed Jia Lanpo，untutored in archaeology at the time，further discovered three craniums of Peking Man，thereby making a tremendous contribution to research.In 1937，as the Japanese were mobilizing a comprehensive invasion of China as prelude to war，three men who had been guarding Zhoukoudian were killed by Japanese soldiers.At the same time the supremely valuable first skull ofPeking Man went missing.Later，remains of a hominidintermediate between“Peking Man”and“Mountain-top Cave Man”were discovered at Zhoukoudian，indicating the continuing presence and development of Peking Man at the site.These discoveries and this research cemented the unique position of the site in global paleo-archaeological studies.Six early hominid cranium fossils were eventually excavated at Zhoukoudian，plus twelve fragments of skulls，fifteen lower jawbones，157 pieces of teeth，and fragments of skeletons belongingto more than forty persons，both female and male，old and young.In addition，some 100，000 stone-tool artifacts were excavated，and a hearth where fire was usedandstonesandboneshadbeen charred.The average cranial capacity of Peking Man was 1，088 millilitres（that of modern man is 1，400 millilitres）.Itis estimated that Peking Man stood 156 centimeters high on average（male）and 150cm（female）.Peking Man belonged to the stoneage，and the primary methods of working stone toolswere chipping，flaking，and very occasionally drilling.Tothis date，Peking Man is the earliest hominid discovered to have used fire;he also hunted large animals.The life expectancy of Peking Man was relatively short—it is estimated that 68.2%of individuals died before the age of14，and less than 4.5%of individuals lived to be over 50.
A museum was erected at the Zhoukoudian Peking Man site in 1953，to exhibit cultural artifacts from the excavations in the area.The museum covered 4，000 square meters，and also extended protection to an area of two square kilometers.The exhibition at that time was basically devoted to four main areas：Peking Ape-Man，Peking Ape-man’s living environment，Locations at the Excavation site，and From Ape to Man.The items exhibited in the displays were not originals;they were all reproductions made to a high degree of similarity so that they seemed authentic.Thefossilizedremainsofanimalsandthehearthwere authentic.
InDecember1987，UNESCOlistedZhoukoudianasaWorl dHeritage Site.
