The city of Chuxiong stretches across an elevated plateau and is encircled by a protective mountain range. A number of excavations and discoveries in Chuxiong have helped historians trace human evolution, and have led to the city being christened as one of China’s birthplaces.
Since 1934 dinosaur fossils have been found at a site in the Lufeng area of Chuxiong. Visitors can view the fascinating specimens at the Lufeng Dinosaur Museum; the largest measures more than nine meters long. Another archeological discovery unearthed two incisor teeth belonging to an ape from 17 million years ago, revealing invaluable information about previous life forms.
The nearby town of Heijing, snuggled in the Chuxiong Mountains, is a living museum of ancient architecture and can be traced back 2,000 years. The collection includes 51 temples of Buddhism and Taoism, 4 mosques and 92 cultural relics including carvings, monuments and tombs.
Getting There & Away
The closest international airport to Chuxiong is 160kms away in Kunming, and flights from Beijing take approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes. Regular buses and trains depart from Kunming bound for Chuxiong and the journey time is around 2 hours.
Things to Do
Chuxiong Attractions
- Exhibition Hall of Yuanmou Man
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Charts the discovery of the earliest human to have lived in asia.
- Lufeng Dinosaur Museum
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Showcases fossils and evidence of the prehistoric creatures.
- Yuanmou Clay Forests
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A natural landform created from the erosion of rocks over centuries.
Side trips from Chuxiong
- Heijing Village
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Explore the ancient temples and monuments, and learn about the village’s affluent past as a salt making town.
Events
- Yi Torch Festival
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A colorful celebration of the fire-worshipping yi culture (august).