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Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum

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Opening Hours

Tuesday - Sunday: 9am - 4.30pm

Entrance Ticket Prices

Free

exhibits at the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museumexhibits at the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial MuseumThe Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum is located inside the Lantian Yuanren Relic Site. The museum was opened at the site in order to educate its visitors about the importance of Lantian Man in the human evolutionary chain, a humanoid ancestor of ours that is unfortunately barely known outside of the archeological community. The remains of Lantian Man were discovered in the 1960s, so almost half a century after the discovery of the world-famous Peking Man fossils near Beijing. However, the Lantian Man fossils are much older than those of Peking Man. Both Homo erectus types taught humanity a lot about the way these hominids lived in the area that is now China during prehistoric times.

Just like Peking Man has been so named due to the geographical proximity of the Peking Man Site to Beijing, Lantian Man was named after the geographical location of Lantian County which lies about 50km to the east of the city of Xi'an in Shaanxi province. There, human fossils that have been dated to the early paleolithic age were discovered during excavations at the Chenjiawo Site and the Gongwangling Site. In fact, the Chenjiawo Site and the Gongwangling Site are located only about 10km away from each other (see the spots marked CJW and GWL on this map). That's why they are often classified together as the Lantian Man Site(s) in scientific papers. The Lantian Yuanren Relic Site that is marked on maps (like in the Google map further below on this page) is the official name of the tourism site that was opened to the public at the location of the prehistoric Gongwangling Site. Its main attraction is the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum which can currently still be visited for free.

humanoid lower jaw (mandible) of Lantian Man that was unearthed at the Chenjiawo Site in 1963humanoid lower jaw (mandible) of Lantian Man that was unearthed at the Chenjiawo Site in 1963However, the number of tourists that annually find their way to this remote spot in the countryside near Gongwang village is still quite low. Most of the few visitors that make it here each day do so on a day trip from Xi'an. However, the Lantian Yuanren Relic Site can also be conveniently reached by car on a day trip from Huayin. That small city is located north of Lantian County and a bit further to the east of Xi'an. Many tourists stay in Huayin for a few days to explore Mount Hua and Huashan National Park. Another prehistoric site of paramount importance, the Xihoudu Site in Ruicheng County (Shanxi province), can also be reached by car within an hour from Huayin.

So what were the human fossils that were discovered at the Chenjiawo Site and the Gongwangling Site? At the Chenjiawo Site, the single humanoid fossil that was unearthed during excavations in September 1963 was the mandible of an older female. It is believed to be somewhere between 500,000 and 650,000 years old. In the scientific community, this single lower jaw that was found is sometimes also referred to as Chenjiawo man.

The only other Lantian Man fossils that were ever discovered are a cranium, nasal bones, a right maxilla and three molars. These were all discovered at the Gongwangling Site in May 1964 and are believed to have belonged to a middle-aged female. According to fairly recent retesting of these remains, the cranium is now believed to be somewhere between 1.62 and 1.63 million years old. That makes it the oldest human fossil that was ever found in the northern part of Asia. As a subspecies of Homo erectus, Gongwangling Man that lived in this part of Asia such an eternity ago was able to make and use rough stone tools. About 200 such stone artifacts were found at the Gongwangling Site as well. Ash that was found at the site also indicates that these humanoid ancestors of ours were able to use fire. Nevertheless, the small brain volume of the Gongwangling skull of only 780ml shows that these archaic humans were still quite primitive.

reproduction of the cranium that was unearthed at the Gongwangling Site in 1964reproduction of the cranium that was unearthed at the Gongwangling Site in 1964Public exhibition of some of the discovered human and animal fossils as well as stone artifacts already began at the Gongwangling Site in 1979. Back then, it was mostly scholars who came for a visit. The number of visiting tourists has since then increased though, especially since the opening of the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum in July 2012. The site occupies a fairly small area of only 13,058 square meters though and a visit typically takes about an hour. There are four different areas to visit, an Indoor Exhibition Area, a Garden Leisure Area and two exhibition areas for the Gongwangling Site and the Chenjiawo Site. In the Garden Leisure Area, visitors will come across a hexagonal stele pavilion in the style of traditional Chinese architecture. The large stele that stands in the middle of this pavilion is crowned by a modern bust that attempts to recreate Lantian Man's appearance.

Altogether, there are only about 200 exhibits on display at the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum. Besides the human fossils, these include about 30 animal fossils from such animals as giant pandas, wild boars and saber-toothed tigers. The exhibited stone tools that Lantian Man once used are comprised of scrapers, choppers, pointed objects, stone chips and stone balls. Lantian Man once used the various displayed choppers of different sizes as tools for cutting and smashing things. Scrapers were used to strip animal skins and to scrape wooden sticks and their blades come in different forms.

In 2018, another archeological site in Lantian County made headlines due to the discovery of ancient stone tools in sediment layers that date as far back as 2.12 million years. This new site is located just about three miles to the north of the Gongwangling Site and it is now known as the Shangchen Site. Along with the Heitugou Site in the Nihewan Basin, it is a prime candidate for eventually yielding human fossils that are older than the 1.63 to 1.64-million-years-old teeth that were found at the Yuanmou Man Site in the south of China and perhaps even older than the 1.81-million-years-old skeletal remains that were discovered at Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia.

Visitors that are planning to stay in Xi'an for a few more days after their visit of the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum might be interested to visit some of the other important historic sights the city has the offer. Whereas almost everyone has at least heard of the Terracotta Warriors, the other sights of and near Xi'an that are featured on this website such as the Banpo Museum, Huaqing Hot Springs and Famen Temple also merit a place on the travel itinerary of every history buff that is coming to this historic city at the center of China.

mosaic image that shows some of the sights of the Lantian Yuanren Relic Sitemosaic image that shows some of the sights of the Lantian Yuanren Relic Site

How to get to the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum?

Address: Lantian Yuanren Relic Site, Gongwang Mountain, Lantian County, Shaanxi Province, China
Tel.Nr.: +86 29 8297 1807
Airport: Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY)
Train Station: Xi'an Railway Station, Xi'an North Railway Station, Xi'an South Railway Station
Bus: bus line from Xi'an East Coach Station: 904

On the following Google map, you can see the location of the Lantian Yuanren Relic Site (the blue icon). The Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum is the relic site's main attraction. When you zoom out of the map, the yellow hotel bed icons show the location of the Time Tunnel Designer Hotel, Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel, Wyndham Grand Xian Residence, Fairfield by Marriott Xi'an North Station and Sheraton Xi'an Hotel. The services and amenities of all these hotels are reviewed further down on this page. In case you are planning a trip to China, you could support this website by using the provided affiliate links to check prices and book your hotel accommodation!



Agoda Affiliate BadgeYou can book hotels in China with both of our affiliate partners Agoda and Trip.com. No matter whether you choose Agoda or Trip.com, you will find many offers on each of these platforms that will allow you to make a risk-free booking with the possibility of free cancellation until a clearly stated date and time, sometimes as late as the intended date of arrival. However, some deals require prepayment and don't permit cancellation without fees. In that case, the incurred cancellation fees are clearly stated.

When following an Agoda link, the search results will show you prices, availability and special offers for your chosen dates with the recommended hotel in the top search position as well as for other hotels in the same area. Links to Trip.com will take you to the specific hotel webpage where you can then search for availability, prices and special deals with your chosen dates.

The provided information was thoroughly researched from various hotel booking websites. Chinese History Digest is not responsible if any information regarding the provided services and amenities might have changed.

Recommended Hotel near the Lantian Yuanren Relic Site

The Time Tunnel Designer Hotel and the Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel which are reviewed below respectively are the closest 4 and 5-star hotels to the Lantian Yuanren Relic Site. From the latter, it takes a bit more than an hour to drive on the highway to the Lantian Yuanren Site Memorial Museum in Lantian County.

Time Tunnel Designer Hotel

outside view of the Time Tunnel Designer Hotel in Xi'anThe Time Tunnel Designer Hotel in Xi'an is a 4-star hotel that is located just a short walk away from the Banpo Museum. The hotel is housed inside a former industrial building complex at the Banpo International Art Zone. There are several galleries, sculpture & pottery studios and ateliers in the immediate vicinity of the Time Tunnel Designer Hotel. Xi'an's city center is about 12km away and reaching the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport will usually take about 40 minutes. Airport transfer can be requested when making the room reservation and booked for an additional fee. The best way to reach the city center is by metro from the nearby Banpo Station which is only a 5-minute stroll away from the hotel.

All rooms of the Time Tunnel Designer Hotel in Xi'an are air-conditioned (heating is available as well) and equipped with a refrigerator, minibar and international satellite TV. The hotel also has family rooms and suites and both smoking and non-smoking rooms can be requested. Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms. Free Chinese-style breakfast is included when staying at this hotel and free bottled water and complimentary tea are provided in the rooms. Laundry service and luggage storage are available. The hotel provides 24-hour room service, daily housekeeping and private check-in/check-out. Trips to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors can be arranged (for a fee). The hotel includes a restaurant within its premises. As far as entertainment and relaxation is concerned, guests have the option to play billiards and darts, sing karaoke at special KTV game rooms or chill out in the hotel's garden.

about 32 miles away from the Lantian Man Site

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Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel

nighttime view of the Angsana Xi'an Lintong HotelThe Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel is about a 40 - 50 minute drive away from the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and the hotel can arrange airport transfer (for an additional charge). It is the only 5-star hotel within relatively close proximity of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (which includes the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses). Guests of this luxurious resort that opened in 2014 only need about 15 minutes by car, taxi or shuttle bus to reach this world-famous sight. Since the hotel rents bicycles, guests could even combine their tourist visits within the green and relatively unpolluted Lintong area with some physical exercise. Besides being close to the Terracotta Warriors, the Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel is also just a 5 - 10 minute walk away from two other sights that history buffs shouldn't miss, the beautiful Huaqing Palace as well as the Lintong Museum.

All rooms of the hotel are air-conditioned, have a terrace/balcony, and contain a refrigerator, satellite TV, safe box, a DVD/CD player and a minibar. Both smoking and non-smoking rooms exist and can be requested. Laundry service (including dry cleaning) and luggage storage are available. Room service is available 24/7 and free bottled water is provided. Free internet access is not only available through Wi-Fi but also via LAN cable in the rooms. The hotel has a breakfast buffet and its two restaurants offer Chinese and international cuisine. For exercise, guests have access to a swimming pool, tennis court and fitness center. There are also many ways to relax at the Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel, such as at the hotel's spa and hot spring bath, by having a massage or outside in the hotel's garden.

about 39 miles away from the Lantian Man Site

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Other Recommended Hotels in Xi'an

The following recommended hotels at the center of Xi'an are just a few miles farther away from the Lantian Yuanren Relic Site. Of the three hotels that are reviewed below, the 5-star Wyndham Grand Xian Residence is located only 470 meters away from the Tang Paradise Theme Park. The Fairfield by Marriott Xi'an North Station and the Sheraton Xi'an Hotel respectively are the closest up-scale hotels to the Xi'an North Railway Station and the Xi'an West Bus Station.

Wyndham Grand Xian Residence

outside view of the Wyndham Grand Xian ResidenceThe Wyndham Grand Xian Residence is a 5-star hotel that was built in 2014 at the cultural heart of Xi'an within close walking distance of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (510 meters away), Daci'en Temple (520m), Tang Paradise Theme Park (470m) and Shaanxi History Museum (1.5km). Xi'an's city center lies about 9km away from the Wyndham Grand Xian Residence. Access to the neighborhoods around the hotel is facilitated through a convenient shuttle service. Free parking is available outside the hotel which also provides a taxi service. Access to public transportation is convenient as well since the Dayanta Metro Station only lies about 1.7km away. Transportation to and from the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport is available (for an additional fee) and can be requested along with the online room reservation.

The Wyndham Grand Xian Residence has a total of 194 rooms which range in size from studio rooms for single travelers up to large apartments with multiple bedrooms and full kitchens. All rooms are both heated and air-conditioned and equipped with a flat-screen LCD TV, refrigerator, minibar and safe. Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms and free bottled water and complimentary tea are provided. Smoking is however only allowed in certain designated areas of the hotel (so not inside the rooms)! Laundry service (including dry cleaning) and luggage storage are available. Most room rates already include buffet breakfast which can also be purchased separately for 168 yuan if not included. The hotel's on-site restaurant specializes in local & international cuisine and there is also a bar on the premises. For exercise, the hotel has a fully-equipped fitness center, a jogging track and an indoor swimming pool. For relaxation, guests can use the hotel's spa, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room or book a massage.

about 42 miles away from the Lantian Man Site

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Fairfield by Marriott Xi'an North Station

nighttime view of the facade of the Fairfield by Marriott Xi'an North StationThe Fairfield by Marriott Xi'an North Station which lies only about 1.3km (less than 20 minutes to walk) to the south of the Xi'an North Railway Station was opened in 2019. One of the main benefits of staying at this mid-range hotel is convenient access to public transportation with the Beiyuan Metro Station being the closest subway station nearby (about 640 meters away). As far as Xi'an's tourist attractions are concerned, the hotel lies only a short walk of about 2.1 kilometers away from the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi (Hanyangling). Other places of interest in this area of Xi'an include the beautifully-landscaped Xi'an City Sports Park, the Xihang Theater and the Double One Bengchuang Theme Park which is popular with children. Free parking is available outside the Fairfield by Marriott Xi'an North Station. A taxi ride to the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport from here typically takes about half an hour and the hotel provides a taxi booking service (but no airport shuttle service of its own though).

The 137 rooms of the Fairfield by Marriott Xi'an North Station provide both air-conditioning and heating and are equipped with a refrigerator and flat-screen TV (with satellite channels). Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms as well as in the public areas of the hotel. However, smoking is not permitted anywhere on its premises, neither in any of the rooms nor in the public areas. Free luggage storage is available. Breakfast is provided in the style of a buffet for a fee of 68 yuan per person if not already included in the room rate. The hotel has a restaurant and a coffee shop that cater to the culinary needs and desires of its guests. For exercise, hotel guests have access to a fitness center on-site.

about 42 miles away from the Lantian Man Site

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Sheraton Xi'an Hotel

outside view of the Sheraton Xi'an HotelThe Sheraton Xi'an Hotel is a luxurious 5-star hotel that is located in a quiet area outside the western section of Xi'an's city wall. Just a short walk nearby, guests will find a selection of bars and restaurants and even an open-air street food market. What's more, access to the neighborhoods around the Sheraton Xi'an Hotel is greatly facilitated through a convenient shuttle service. The hotel can of course also arrange car rentals and provides a taxi service as well. Xi'an's Bell Tower at the city center for example only lies a five-minute taxi ride away. Access to public transportation from this hotel is also very convenient as both the Kaiyuanmen and the Yanpingmen Metro Station are less than 2km away. Of course, the hotel also arranges transportation to and from the airport (for an extra fee of 500 yuan) and guests can request to book that service in advance when making their room reservation online. Travel time between the hotel and the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport is typically about 45 minutes.

All rooms of the Sheraton Xi'an Hotel provide both heating and air-conditioning and are equipped with a satellite/cable TV, refrigerator, minibar and safe. Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms and the hotel also has family rooms and suites in addition to the standard rooms. Free bottled water is provided in the rooms. Smoking is however only allowed in certain designated areas of the hotel (so not inside the rooms)! Laundry service (including dry cleaning) and luggage storage are available. There are two restaurants on site (plus a bar and a coffee shop) that prepare dishes in a variety of different cuisines (incl. Cantonese, local and globally-inspired fusion cuisine). Guests also have manifold choices regarding which type of breakfast they prefer (American, Asian, Continental, Buffet). Most room rates already include breakfast which can also be purchased separately for 165 yuan (83 yuan for children) if not included. For exercise, the hotel has a heated indoor swimming pool, a modern fitness center and a room for playing table tennis, practicing yoga or playing billiards. For relaxation, guests can go to the hotel's spa, sauna, steam room or book a massage.

about 43 miles away from the Lantian Man Site

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