December 2-4, 2024, Beijing

FIRST CIRCULAR 

December 2, 2024 marks the 95th anniversary of the discovery of the first skullcap of Peking Man. Significant progress has been made in retrieving and studying human fossils and Paleolithic cultural remains from China and surrounding regions in recent years; notable advances in ancient DNA analysis have also been achieved in tracing the origin(s), dispersal and evolutionary history of anatomically modern humans across China. Research highlights in these fields have been published widely in top journals and attracted great attentions of the international academic community, the media and the public. 

To commemorate the 95^th anniversary of the discovery of the first skullcap of Peking Man and to further promote academic exchanges between scholars in various disciplines of Paleoanthropology and Paleolithic archaeology from China and other areas of the world, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IVPP) will host an International Symposium on Paleoanthropology during December 2-4, 2024 in Beijing, China. The symposium will consist of keynote sessions, regular sessions and discussions; and a mid-excursion to the site museum at Zhoukoudian will be organized. Two field excursions (post-symposium) are also scheduled. The organizing committee warmly invites colleagues and friends around the world to join the symposium. 

Issues concerning the symposium are hereby notified as follows: 

Ⅰ. Date: December 2-4, 2024 

Ⅱ. Theme: Huaman Evolution and Adaption in Eurasia 

Ⅲ. Organizer: Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences;  

Co-organizer: Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site Museum, Government of Dongzhi County of the Anhui Province,  Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Government of Yunyang District of the Shiyan City 

Ⅳ. Topics: 

1. New discoveries and new research on hominid fossils; 

2. Paleolithic cultural diversity and behavioral patterns of ancient humans; 

3. Interdisciplinary research on Paleoanthropological and Paleolithic sites. 

Ⅴ. Schedule: 

Dec 1, 2024: Registration, Xiyuan Hotel, Beijing 

Dec 2, 2024: Morning: Opening ceremony; Celebrating the 95th anniversary of the founding of IVPP; Plenary speeches; Afternoon: keynote sessions; 

Dec 3, 2024: Mid-Excursion to the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site Museum; Ceremony in Commemoration of the 95th Anniversary of the Discovery of the First Skullcap of Peking Man 

Dec 4, 2024: Regular sessions and discussion. 

Ⅵ. Post-symposium excursion: 

1)     Route one: the Hualongdong site 

Dec 5, 2024: Transfer to Anqing City, Anhui Province (Anqing Tianzhushan Airport, Anqing Railway station, airport drop-off and pick up will be arranged） 

Dec 6, 2024: Morning: Forum on the Hualongdong site; Afternoon: Visit the Hualongdong site and the museum; Evening: Panel discussion on the research, protection and utilization of the Hualongdong site 

Dec 7, 2024: Visit the "The City of Starry Skies" Astronomy Study Base, historic cultural relics and Intangible Cultural Heritages; 

Dec 8, 2024: Departure. ( Anqing Tianzhushan Airport, Hefei Xinqiao International Airport, Nanjing Lukou Internatiol Airport, Anqing Railway Station) 

Expenses: Transportation cost shall be paid personally, please book your tickets in advance. Other expenses during the field excursion period will be covered by the Government of Dongzhi County. 

2)     Route two: the Yunxian Homo erectus site 

Dec 5, 2024: Transfer to Shiyan City, Hubei Province（ShiyanWudangshan Airport, drop-off and pickup will be arranged）; Afternoon: visit the Qinglongshan Dinosaur Egg Fossil National Geopark in Yunyang District; 

Dec 6, 2024: Morning: Forum on the Yunxian Homo erectus site, and visit the Paleolithic site and the museum; Afternoon: Geological and geomorphological survey in Yunyang Region; 

Dec 7, 2024: Departure. (Shiyan Wudangshan Airport, Shiyan Railway Station) 

Expenses: Transportation cost shall be paid personally, please book your flight tickets in advance. Other expenses during the field excursion period will be covered by the Government of Yunyang District. Due to limited hosting capacity, this itinerary is restricted to regular participants attending the conference. 

Ⅶ. Abstracts and presentations 

1. All participants are invited to submit an abstract in English (within 1 A4 page) no later than September 20, 2024. The abstract should include title, authors’ names (capitalized family names), affiliations and addresses, and the main body of abstract.  

2. The symposium will organize both oral and poster presentations. Multimedia facilities will be provided for the oral presentations and all presentations must be delivered in English; a special area will be reserved for posters and posters should be in English or bilingual (Chinese and English).  

Ⅷ. Expenses: 

1. Registration fee: The registration fee for regular participant is $400 per person and $200 for one student participant(student certificate required, which will cover meals during the conference period, conference kits, and mid-excursion. Transportation and accommodation expenses are not included except for special arrangements. 

2. Accommodation: 

The secretariat has pre-reserved a number of rooms at the Xiyuan Hotel for participating during the symposium. Please contact the hotel personally to make a reservation. 

Room rates at the Xiyuan Hotel: Twin Room (with two rgular beds) and Queen Room (with one large bed) of the main building are respectively ￥500 and￥600 per day. 

Hotel Contact: Chu Lin 13522573904; E-mail: chulin@xiyuanhotel.com.cn 

Ⅸ. Contact: 

Xu Xin, Zhang Zhao 

Tel: 18801197622; 010-68354669;010-88366113; Email：conference@ivpp.ac.cn 

Address: Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing (Postal Code: 100044) 

Persons interested in attending the symposium are kindly requested to fill in the First Circular Reply Form and return it via email to the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences by April 15, 2024.  

Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences