Maotian Mountain National Geopark

Maotian mountain is famous for the discovery of the Naro fossil group, which is the so-called "Cambrian explosion" of life on earth.

There are 541 million years ago animal fossils buried in Maotian mountain. These animal fossils are distributed in the Maotian mountain in a zigzag way, which reproduces the true appearance of marine life 100 million years ago.

In 1991, the most authoritative and influential New York Times in the United States introduced the discovery of Maotian mountain fauna with a front page headline and beautiful pictures, and pointed out that the discovery of Maotian mountain fauna in China is one of the most amazing scientific discoveries in this century, known as "the holy land of Paleontology in the world".

Maotian Mountain China National Geopark

synonym

Maotianshan National Geopark generally refers to Maotianshan China National Geopark

Hou Xianguang, a researcher of Nanjing Institute of Geology and paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered the "Naro worm" fossil in Maotian mountain, Chengjiang County, revealing to mankind the Early Cambrian world that had been sleeping for 530 million years. China, Yunnan, Yuxi, Chengjiang and Maotian mountain have gained great reputation and spread all over the world.

Development history

In the 1830s, Darwin predicted in his famous book the origin of species: if anyone challenges my theory in the future, it is likely to come from the explanation of the sudden emergence of a large number of Cambrian animals.

In the 10 years after 1984, more than 50 paleontologists from more than 10 countries collected about 50000 fossils in Maotian mountain area of Chengjiang. So far, paleontologists have found more than 80 species of animals in more than 40 categories.

On April 23, 1991, the New York Times, the most authoritative and influential magazine in the United States, introduced the discovery of the Maotian mountain fauna in China with a front page headline and beautiful pictures. It is pointed out that the discovery of Maotianshan fauna in China is one of the most amazing scientific discoveries in this century.

On August 2, 1996, CCTV news broadcast a piece of news that made every Chinese intoxicated: the animal fossil group found in Chengjiang, Yunnan Province is one of the most amazing discoveries of human beings in the 20th century. Then "focus interview" made a panoramic and multi-level in-depth report on Maotian mountain and its fossil producing area in Chengjiang County.

Science, an American authoritative academic journal published in January 2001, comprehensively introduced the current situation of paleontological research in China. It is believed that the Chengjiang fossils in Yunnan brought about the appearance of vertebrates 60 million years in advance. These fossils help paleontologists confirm the Cambrian explosion about 530 million years ago.

On September 5, Premier Wen Jiabao wrote an inscription to the Chengjiang fauna paleontological fossil National Geopark: "we should protect the Chengjiang fauna, protect the world's fossil treasure house, and protect this natural heritage with great scientific value."

geographical environment

Maotian Mountain China National Geopark is 87km away from Yuxi City and 6km away from Chengjiang County. The whole fossil burial zone is serpentine with a width of 4.5km and a depth of 50m. It is located at 102 degrees 57 minutes 30 seconds east longitude, 24 degrees 39 minutes 30 seconds north latitude and 2026m above sea level. There are three functional areas: Maotian mountain and its surrounding area as the central area, which is the first place of the Chengjiang fauna, the location of the original part and the concentrated distribution area of the fauna. It extends 4km from the central area to the north and south, with the experimental area in the South and the recoil area in the north. The reserve covers an area of 18 square kilometers and extends 50 meters underground. It is the first place of the Chengjiang fauna, the location of the original part and the concentrated distribution area of the fauna. More than 30 fossil sites have been found and more than 30000 pieces of fossils have been collected. According to scientific identification, there are more than 100 species of paleontological fossils in 40 categories, covering all categories of modern life. A variety of new species of animals that existed in large numbers in the past and are now extinct have been found. They have surpassed the existing animal classification system and can only be named after the excavation place names, such as Fuxianhu insect, Maotianshan insect, Yunnan insect, etc Kunming insect and trans horse insect, especially in Haikou of Dianchi Lake, where Yuxi and Kunming border, Haikou fish, the oldest spine animal on the earth, has recently appeared. Its structure and function are more complex than Yunnan insect. It is a rare and precious animal fossil with the most special categories, the best preservation, the most exquisite appearance and the best quality. According to scientific research, it is considered to be the originator of the important evolutionary tree and chain of fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and human beings.

Address: Chengjiang County, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province

Longitude: 102.966736

Latitude: 24.700365

Tour time: 3 hours

Traffic information: Maotian Mountain National Geopark is 8 kilometers away from Chengjiang County.

Bus: take a tricycle at Chengjiang passenger station, the fare is 5 yuan per person; take No.9 bus at Dongmen passenger room, and get off at dongjishao, the fare is 4 yuan per person, the ride is 30 minutes. There is no public transportation from dongjishao to the Geopark, so you can only walk 4 kilometers to the Geopark.

Taxi: the round trip fare from the county seat is about 100 yuan.

Ticket information: 20 yuan per person

Opening hours: 9:00-16:30

Chinese PinYin : Mao Tian Shan Guo Jia Di Zhi Gong Yuan