Nanjing Tangshan Ancient Ape Man Cave

Nanjing Tangshan Ancient Ape Man Cave

Nanjing Tangshan Ape Man Cave

The Tangshan Ape Man Cave is located on Leigong Mountain in Tangshan Town, Nanjing. This ape man cave is the only complete ancient ape man activity site discovered in southern China to date that dates back to the same period as the Zhoukoudian site in Beijing. The site features a fissure-type karst cave with a flying waterfall and striking red-and-white cave formations, earning it the reputation of being among the most beautiful karst caves.

Currently open to visitors at the Tangshan Town Ape Man Cave are the Leigong Cave and the Huludong Cave. On March 13, 1993, a relatively complete ancient human skull fossil was unearthed in Huludong Cave, attracting worldwide attention. Archaeologists have since discovered more than ten types of animal fossils here. Scientific identification indicates that these remains likely belonged to the Nanjing Ape Man, who lived around 300,000 years ago. This discovery pushed the history of human activity in the Nanjing area back by over 200,000 years and also confirmed that the Yangtze River basin is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation. Among the fossils found in Huludong Cave were those of more than ten species, including the thick-jawed deer and spotted deer, which mostly lived during the mid-Pleistocene epoch about 150 million years ago.

The Tangshan Ape Man Cave scenic area can be divided into six major sections: the stone cliff fountain sculpture at the entrance, the ancient human stone carving garden at the foot of the mountain, the ancient human historical exhibition hall, the cliff carving landscape of the ape man at the cave entrance, the natural karst cave landscape, and the bamboo garden leisure area. According to Professor Zhu’s vision, this place will become a “Stone Park” showcasing the ancient humans of Nanjing and even the whole country. The originally exposed funnel-shaped opening in the stone cliff has been transformed into a natural relief stone wall. Based on field investigations, stone blocks on the cliff resembling human heads will be slightly carved to create 4–5 “Nanjing Ape Man” head sculptures. Unlike Mount Rushmore, the ape man heads will avoid obvious tool marks and blend naturally with the surrounding rock. In addition, atop the cave mountain, two or three giant bronze statues of ape men hunting will stand as iconic landmarks of the Ape Man Cave. Throughout the scenic area, small architectural features from the Stone Age—such as thatched huts, stone tools, nest dwellings, and cave dwellings—are scattered about, creating a strong sense of history.

Address: Leigong Mountain, west of Tangshan Town, Jiangning District, Nanjing

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visit Duration: 1 hour

Phone: 025-84101828

Opening Hours:

Summer hours: 8:30–17:00; Winter hours: 8:30–16:30.