Chengjiang Fossil Site Nature Reserve

Address: Chengjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan Province, China

Website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1386

Hours: Museum and site hours typically 8:30am-5:00pm (seasonal variations), check local museum schedules.

Admission: Admission to the Chengjiang Fossil Site museum and park varies; typical domestic and international fees modest (CN¥30-100).

The Chengjiang Fossil Site in Yunnan province, China, preserves an early Cambrian fossil assemblage with exceptional soft-tissue preservation that is globally important for understanding early animal evolution. It is one of the key Lagerstätten for the Cambrian explosion.

Fossil-bearing sedimentary beds contain diverse marine organisms, including primitive arthropods, worms and other soft-bodied animals. Public displays and research collections present select specimens and provide interpretation of the site’s scientific importance.

The deposits accumulated on a shallow marine shelf in the early Cambrian, preserving rapid burial of diverse organisms. The site has been the focus of paleontological research since the late 20th century and has yielded many new taxa that inform evolutionary studies.

The site is located in Yunnan province near the town of Chengjiang in southwestern China, within a region of low hills and sedimentary outcrops that expose the fossil-bearing shales.

• Geological age: The Chengjiang biota dates to the early Cambrian and is roughly 518 million years old, providing critical evidence for early animal diversification.
• Preservation quality: Many specimens show exceptional soft-tissue preservation, making the site internationally important for studies of early animal evolution.

What to See#

• Fossil beds: Fossil-bearing beds near the town of Chengjiang that preserve exceptionally complete early Cambrian marine organisms, including soft tissue preservation.
• Local museum and collections: Regional museum and research collections that house and display representative Chengjiang specimens used for scientific study and public education.

Chengjiang is accessible by road from Kunming (approximately 90-120 minutes by car); regional buses and arranged tours operate from Kunming.

• Combine a museum visit with guided interpretation to understand the Cambrian fauna and the preservation processes that made Chengjiang famous.
• Handle expectations: fossils are fragile and often housed behind glass; the significance is scientific more than dramatic display.
• Check opening hours of local museums - some exhibit halls rotate specimens and displays.