The management administration of the
Peking
Man site has outlined plans to protect and upgrade the
well-known paleo-anthropological ruins, dating back to some 500,
000 years ago.
In
response to criticisms of negligence from academic circles and
visitors, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Institute of
Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleo-anthropology released Friday a
plan for restoration of the site, which became famous after Chinese
scientists excavated a handful of fossilized Peking Man skulls in
the late 1920s and 1930s.
Gao Xing, a CAS research professor who is now in charge of the
restoration project, said that his institute plans to check all
possible hazards to the treasured ruins and keep the site
attractive to international scientists and visitors.
Gao said that any proposals for the site must benefit its long-
term preservation as well as further excavation and academic
research.
Western scientists found the site and tried to dig in 1921. Since
1927, Chinese and Western researchers had carried out continuous
excavation.
With so many precious fossils of ape-like human skulls, stone
tools, and mammal bones which showed a high level of civilization
in the remote past, modern scientists still believe there are
possible important finds underground.
Gao said that most of the ground at the site remained intact.
According to the CAS protection plan, neighboring factories and
mines should be banned, and unearthed fossils should be well
preserved.
Heritage protection experts and paleo-anthropologists disallowed a
giant dome over the site, similar to the architecture on the
Qinshihuang Tomb.
They preferred maintenance of the original conditions, which might
allow future scientists to do further research, Gao said.
Meanwhile, the CAS institute planned to install an electronic
monitoring system at the site to prevent fire and other possible
damaging occurrences.
Gao estimated that the total investment on the project might exceed
100 million yuan (US$12 million).
(China
Daily April 12, 2002)