Gushandong Paleolithic Site in Hekou County, Honghe

The Gushan Cave Site (孤山洞遗址) is located over 60 kilometers northeast of Hekou Yao Autonomous County (河口瑶族自治县), Yunnan Province (云南省), behind the Qiaotou Grain Management Office (桥头粮管所). It is a Paleolithic cave site.

The cave faces northeast and measures approximately 6 meters in depth with a roughly circular shape. A natural stone pillar supports the smooth cave ceiling, and the usable interior space is about 10 square meters. The cave entrance is 2.6 meters high. Surrounding the cave are lush forests and a clear river flowing around the mountain.

Archaeological Findings

Excavations conducted in 1980 uncovered lithic tools and fossils of mammals such as the Eastern saber-toothed elephant, Chinese rhinoceros, deer, and rodents. The site dates back roughly 30,000 years. The stone tools demonstrate that early humans had mastered stone-working techniques and produced implements with multiple practical uses.

Protection Status

In 1984, the Gushan Cave Site was designated a cultural relic protection unit (文物保护单位) by Hekou Yao Autonomous County.

Cultural and Historical Significance

As a Paleolithic site, Gushan Cave provides important evidence of early human activity in Yunnan, illustrating both tool-making skills and interactions with the region’s Pleistocene fauna.

Location

Location: Northeast of Hekou Yao Autonomous County (河口瑶族自治县), behind Qiaotou Grain Management Office (桥头粮管所), Yunnan Province (云南省).
Era: Paleolithic (旧石器时代)
Excavated Artifacts: Lithic tools, fossils of Eastern saber-toothed elephant, Chinese rhinoceros, deer, rodents, and other mammals.