From 1929 to 1936, three adult hominid skull fossils and countless fossil fragments of occipital bone, eyebrow bone and ear bone were excavated in Zhoukoudian, China. As soon as this story came out, it immediately caused a sensation around the world. Because of the existence of "Beijingers", human beings have to redefine their origins, starting from Zhoukoudian in Beijing, China. Foreign academic circles even praised this as the most touching discovery in the history of ancient human research. However, during the period of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the skull fossils of "Beijingers" disappeared mysteriously on the way. Today, the whereabouts of the national treasure is still a mystery before us.

In fact, the skull fossils of "Beijingers" were originally kept in the safe on the ground floor of Peking Union Medical College Hospital funded by the United States for academic research by Swedish anthropologist Dunrui Wei. 1937 after the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Japanese occupied Beijing, but only because the Union Medical College Hospital hung the American flag did the Japanese not break in and plunder the skull fossils of "Beijingers". 194 1 on the eve of the "pearl harbor incident" in, Japan-US relations deteriorated. In order to ensure that these precious cultural relics will not fall into the hands of invaders, Dunrui Wei suggested that the skull fossils of "Beijingers" be transferred to the United States for preservation. In the same year, at the beginning of 1 1, Dunrui Wei and others sent the national treasure to the US Embassy in Beiping and entrusted the US Marine Corps to escort it to the new york Museum of Natural History for temporary security. On February 5th, 65438, a special train loaded with Peking Man's skull fossils went to Qinhuangdao, and was ready to board the American mail ship "President Harrison" on February 8th, 65438. However, in the early morning of February 8, 65438, the Japanese army raided Pearl Harbor and declared war on the United States. On the same day, the US Marine Corps special train carrying Peking man skull fossils bound for Qinhuangdao was also stopped by the Japanese army, so the "President Harrison" failed to meet at the scene. Since then, the world-famous "Peking man" skull fossil has mysteriously disappeared.

Because the skull fossils of "Beijingers" were secretly transported out in the war, it became very difficult to find them after being robbed and missing. After Japan surrendered, the United States tried to find it many times, and the result was empty-handed. The Japanese side has repeatedly claimed that they have never found the whereabouts of "Peking man" skull fossils.

After the founding of New China, the skull fossils of "Beijingers" became the eternal concern of Chinese people. For more than half a century, many people of insight at home and abroad are scrambling to find it. However, all kinds of clues that catch the wind and catch the shadows are generally followed one after another. For example, some people say that it may have been captured by the Japanese, hidden among the Japanese, or destroyed by barbaric Japanese soldiers; Some people say that when it was hijacked and loaded on a Japanese ship named Apomaru, it sank to the bottom of the sea because the ship was destroyed by the US military. Some people say that it has long been a "trophy" of the Red Army of the former Soviet Union; Some people say that it may be mistaken for a general human specimen and abandoned; Some people firmly believe that it still exists in a corner of our country ... but there are no really valuable clues. Up to now, the whereabouts of "Peking man" skull fossils are still an unsolved mystery.

The Discovery of Beijingers and Its Value

"Peking man" skull fossil specimens, I don't know where they lived during the Anti-Japanese War, which is one of the important losses of China during the Anti-Japanese War. 194565438+February 4th, Pei Wenzhong, a famous historical archaeologist and discoverer of Peking man skull fossils.

Professor, published the article "Where are Beijingers" in Tianjin Ta Kung Pao, and he sighed with emotion, this is a mystery! Maybe there will be an answer soon, maybe there will never be an answer. For 60 years after the war, the people of China have been looking for the skull fossils of "Beijingers".

In August, Jia Lanpo, a famous archaeologist in China, and 1998 and 14 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences jointly issued an initiative letter-"Let's continue to look for Beijingers", thinking that "for scientists in China, there is such a thing that can never be forgotten" and hoping that "before the end of this century, everyone will join hands to make a search for all mankind." But its whereabouts remain a mystery. In order to facilitate the Chinese people to understand the ins and outs of this disappearance, we are now tracking it with relevant information.

Pei Wenzhong is holding a skull wrapped in plaster, ready to be shipped to Beijing.

—— Excerpted fromNo. 1 issue of Verticals and Verticals in 2004 "Beijingers" is the common name of the Peking species of Chinese ape-man, also known as "Homo erectus subspecies". It lived in the early Quaternary about hundreds of thousands of years ago. Morphologically speaking, it is a primitive human between modern people and apes, and has a very close relationship with modern people. Longgushan is a limestone hill in Zhoukoudian Town, fangshan county, a suburb of southwest Beijing. Quarrymen often find fossils in caves and cracks. People call this mountain "keel" and sell it to Chinese medicine shops. 19 18, An Tesheng, a Swede who came to China as a mining management consultant, came to Gulong. 1923, An Tesheng and others found a human tooth in fossils, which attracted the attention of the archaeological community. 1927 began system excavation. But in the next few years, there was no important discovery, and An Tesheng and others left Zhoukoudian. 1929 65438+At 4 am on February 2, the sun is about to set. In the dim candlelight, someone shouted, "What is this? Head! " Pei Wenzhong, the expert who presided over the excavation, carefully took out the well-preserved ape-man skull. Pei Wenzhong was ecstatic. He wrapped this precious skull with his only quilt and sheets, braved the cold and escorted it to Beijing. At that time, the photographer couldn't restrain his excitement, so he aimed at the fossil that only half of Pei Wenzhong's face was left in the photo.

The discovery and study of fossils and culture of "Beijingers" show that "Beijingers" can use fire, improve the processing technology of stone tools, dig holes, collect and hunt, and have a considerable degree of social adaptability. The average brain capacity is 1.059 ml (modern man 1.400 ml), and the bones of limbs are more advanced than skulls. It represents an important stage in the process of "from ape to man" and provides an important basis for the establishment of the theory of "from ape to man" This great discovery in the history of ancient human research has attracted the attention of academic circles all over the world. Zhoukoudian "Peking man" site has become the treasure house of world anthropology and the cradle of human civilization and progress. 1987 65438+February 1 1 day, the site was listed as a "World Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO.

In view of the importance of Chinese ape-man research, Weng, then director of the Geological Survey, decided to set up a Cenozoic research room in the Geological Survey to be responsible for the excavation of Chinese ape-man in Zhoukoudian, and to collect and study vertebrate fossils and ancient human fossils in China. Relevant people in the United States also paid attention, and the Rockefeller Foundation of the United States gave financial support. The Chinese side signed a contract with the board of directors, stipulating that the funds for the research room should be subsidized by the board of directors; All the collected specimens are the national property of China, which is permanently kept in China and is not allowed to be transported abroad. The specimen also includes Chinese ape-man fossils; Rockefeller Foundation elected an anthropologist to study China apes, and appointed China as honorary director of the laboratory.

A geologist is engaged in geology, paleontology and archaeology, and serves as the deputy director of the research office. Canadian Davidson Blake and American scientist Professor Dunrui Wei first studied Chinese ape-man from 65438 to 0936. Wei is also a professor in the Department of Anatomy of Peking Union Medical College. After more than ten years of excavation, the July 7th Incident broke out in 1937. Seven skulls of Chinese ape-man were found, including 12 jaws, dozens of teeth and more than 10 bones. These specimens are kept in two safes in the office of the Department of Anatomy of Union Medical College. Wei often used plaster models in his research, and refused to take out real specimens or show them to others easily. After the July 7th Incident, it was sent to Citibank's vault twice, just in case. "The process of" Peking Man "fossils seized by the Central Geological Survey and taken away by the United States and related reports", archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, all 5(2), volume 9 14.

Transshipment and disappearance of "Beijingers"

1937 When the Japanese army invaded Beiping, the fossils of "Beijingers" remained in Peking Union Medical College. With the protracted war, the tension in the Pacific and the deterioration of US-Japan relations, China is worried about the safety of "Peking Man" fossils. 1940 65438+On February 26th, Yin Zanxun, deputy director of the Central Geological Survey, wrote to Pei Wenzhong in Peiping, saying, "The existing specimens of Concordia man and important stone tools seem to have been transported to the southwest safety zone. If it is difficult to transport it to the south, we should try our best to entrust American friends to transport it to American academic institutions for temporary storage, and then transport it back once peace is restored. Please turn your brother into a face-to-face business person to decide the policy so that it can be implemented in the necessary time. " Yin Zanxun's Letter to Pei Wenzhong, Archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, full 28( 16), volume 134. 1941110 Weng Wenhao wrote to Hutton and Dunrui Wei, presidents of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, hoping to transport Peking Man fossils to the United States. 17 April 17, Hutton wrote back to Weng Wenhao, thinking that "it is unrealistic to attempt to transfer these fossils out of Beijing. The reason is that local authorities and customs will definitely intervene directly to check the entry and exit of all such goods. These scientific articles are the property of the government of the Republic of China, and it is very easy to confiscate them when they are transported out of China or Japanese occupied areas. " . "Because the ownership of these specimens belongs to the government of the Republic of China, it is impossible to ask some departments of the US government to transfer them. Even if the US official agrees to transfer, the embassy in China will not dare to bear the responsibility of violating the Japanese puppet government and customs regulations. " Hutton and some advisers advocate maintaining the status quo. "Even if the situation worsens in the future, these specimens cannot be damaged, and there is no reason to damage them. They have no selling value. The worst case is that they are no longer kept in Beijing (or China), but scattered in other museums around the world. " . Hutton's Letter to Weng, Archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, full 28( 16), volume 134. 1941July 15, Dunrui Wei, who has returned to the United States, wrote to Weng, stating his reasons for not taking the fossils with him to the United States: if they are found at the customs, they will definitely be confiscated; We can't let this precious thing be exposed to an unguarded voyage at this dangerous moment. "It is wise to put the original fossil in its present position, that is, in the safe of the Cenozoic research room of the Department of Anatomy of Peking Union Medical College", "If it may endanger fossil specimens, it is best to do nothing". To Weng Xin, Archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, full 28( 16), volume 134.

However, according to Pei Wenzhong's post-war memories, 194 1 At the beginning of the year, Japan-US relations were tense, and the US Embassy advised American nationals to leave China. Dunrui Wei decided to return to the United States in April to continue his research in the new york Museum of Natural History, hoping to bring Chinese ape-man specimens to the United States. Before leaving China, Wei and Pei Wenzhong made representations to the American Embassy twice. However, due to contractual restrictions, it is not convenient for the US to act alone before obtaining permission from the China government.

194 1 In August, Weng, on behalf of China, negotiated with the American ambassador to China, asking him to try to collect specimens of Chinese apes.

It was taken out by Peking Union Medical College, shipped to the United States and shipped back to China after the war. 1In mid-October, Ambassador Zhan Sen called Beiping and asked them to do so.

According to the post-war report of Hu Chengzhi, the last person from China who came into contact with fossils at that time, before the Pearl Harbor incident, Bao Wen, general manager of Peking Union Medical College, hurried to the laboratory and asked Hu Chengzhi to quickly pack "Beijingers" and send them to his office unnoticed. "At that time, I took out the wooden box I had prepared, locked the door and packed it. Both boxes are white wooden boxes. " "To box, very luxurious. First, wrap the bone with fine paper to wipe the microscope head, then wrap it with soft paper, then wrap it with white medical absorbent cotton, then wrap it with pink lotus paper, then wrap it with medical fine gauze in multiple layers, put it in a small box, and then fill it with absorbent cotton. The six sides of the small wooden box are wrapped in elastic yellow corrugated paper and packed into large boxes one by one, which are stuffed with kapok. " The books in two wooden cases are CAD ⅰ and CAD ⅱ. The number of bone fossils in the two boxes are: 5 skulls, 5 skulls, about 130 teeth, about 10 mandibles, 1 maxilla, and dozens of other residual limb bones. There are 3 prehistoric skulls in Shandong, with minor skulls 1 piece, limbs bones1piece, dozens of teeth and scattered small bones.

After cleaning up, Hu Chengzhi "immediately sent the workmates to Mr. Bowen's office by car and handed them to him face to face. He immediately sent the two boxes to the No.4 security room downstairs in' F' and sent them to the American Embassy overnight. Before the Pearl Harbor incident, I knew that Beijingers pretended to have President Hutton, Mr. Bowen and Miss Claire Hiles Berg, and she soon became the secretary of the new generation of research rooms. " . Hu Chengzhi's Report on the Missing of "Beijingers", Archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, all 5(2), volume 9 14. Since then, the "Peking man" fossil has been missing.

There are many answers to the mystery of the disappearance of Peking man fossils: Peking man fossils were sent to the US Navy for shipment, and it is said that cultural relics were intercepted by Japanese troops near Qinhuangdao; Change packages in Tianjin and live in the United States; Buried in Beijing; Sink into the sea; China folk. This paper briefly introduces the relevant files of the Second Historical Archives of China, the Chinese and English letters between Mr. Pei Wenzhong and the people involved in the lost event, including 7 copies of 1 1 letters and newspaper clippings, the memories of the parties and the research of scholars, with a view to further exploring the truth.

With regard to the fact that "Peking man" fossils were sent to the US Navy for shipment, some data show that the United States originally planned to bring them to the United States by the US Marine Corps stationed in Beiping. 19411On February 4th, two boxes of fossil specimens and 27 boxes of luggage of American soldiers were transported from Beiping to Qinhuangdao by special train, and then Philip, a military doctor, took over. On that day, the luggage was unloaded in Tianjin, some of which were stored in the Bast Institute and some in a Swiss company in Tianjin. On the same day, a grand farewell party was held in Tianjin for the Marines. Unfortunately, President Harrison, who came to pick up the US Marine Corps, was chased by Japanese warships on the way to Qinhuangdao in Manila, that is,1February 8, and sank on the rocks outside the Yangtze River estuary.

The transportation of "Beijingers" was carried out quietly at that time. 1942, 10 In September, Professor Foten, who was scattered back to Africa by the Japanese army and was in charge of anatomy and Cenozoic studies at the former Peking Union Medical College, pointed out in a letter to Weng that the original skull of "Beijingers" was originally intended to be sent to the United States with the US Marine Corps stationed there. Shortly after the Japan-US War, the US Marine Corps became a prisoner of Qinhuangdao. The fossils mentioned above belong to the United States Marine Corps. We got this information from a marine who happened to have appendicitis when he was detained in Beijing and had an operation at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. He seized the opportunity to break the news to the doctor. From then on, I don't know the whereabouts of these items. "Buddha Teng

The professor analyzed his whereabouts. "On February 9, 65438, I went to the Department of Anatomy and Dr. Dunrui Wei's laboratory, where I met some Japanese officers, but I was not asked. I judge that the Japanese are fully aware of the whereabouts of these items. But in July, I was unexpectedly called to Peking Union Medical College by the Japanese and asked if I knew where the Beijingers were. Of course I answered' I don't know'. Judging from this conversation,' Beijingers' may have been quietly shipped to Japan, so not everyone who cares knows. Maybe it was really lost in Qinhuangdao. "

Forten also talked about the destruction of the Japanese army in his letter. "When the Japanese military police wanted to use the Lockhart Building, they loaded all the articles and books of the Geological Survey on trucks, transported them to the vacant lot outside the city and threw them away. These items were quickly looted by ordinary people, who thought they might be worth a few dollars. Later, Dr. Ferguson also bought some bones to sell at home ... This is the sad ending of the research work that you attached great importance to when you were in office. " Fu Teng's letter to Weng Xin1September 1942 10, Archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, all 375, volume 846. Some studies believe that the loss of other specimens in the Cenozoic Institute is as high as 67 boxes.

1On March 30th, 943, Weng Wenhao wrote to Vincent, hoping that the State Council and the US Navy Department would help him to trace it. He also pointed out that "we have not announced this matter so far, so as not to attract the attention of the Japanese."

In fact, the Japanese have long been concerned. 19411before the pearl harbor incident on February 8, Professor Hasebe Ren Yan of Imperial University of Tokyo and his teaching assistant Dong Er Takai came to Beiping, and Takai asked to work in the Cenozoic research room for two weeks, which was approved. On the morning of February 8, 65438, the Japanese army invaded the Union Medical College Hospital and immediately sent personnel to the anatomy department, forcing the administrator to open the iron cabinet, check everything, seal it up and send troops to guard it. A few days later, Captain Tian Gang, the head of the Japanese occupation joint medical college hospital, met with Pei Wenzhong, asked where the Chinese ape-man specimens were stored, and explained that the safe was full of plaster models. 1in late August, 942, Hasebe Ren Yan and his teaching assistant, Takai Dong Er, came to Beijing again to set up Zhoukoudian Institute and continue to explore. Takai took a Japanese gendarme and asked Pei Wenzhong about the whereabouts of the Chinese ape-man. Because the delivery of fossil specimens was carried out quietly, Pei Wenzhong didn't know it, and of course there was no way to answer it.

At this time, Japanese newspapers in Beijing, Asahi Shimbun, Osaka Daily and other newspapers all published such news in important news columns: Hasebe people found that the specimen of Chinese ape-man was stolen by Americans, and the contents in the safe of Concord Anatomy Department were fake and made of plaster. This valuable thing is not allowed to be shipped abroad, but the Americans stole it without faith. Maybe Hasebe, Ren Yan and others have made no achievements in Peiping, and have lived for a month and then returned to Tokyo.

1April, 943, the Japanese military police spy Fan Qing (English name Goargia) found Pei Wenzhong and made it clear that he was ordered by the Japanese military department to look for specimens of Chinese apes. Fan Qing, the ingot maker, questioned all relevant personnel for three consecutive days. In particular, Bowen was imprisoned by the Japanese military police for five days, and the interrogation was fruitless. Pei Wenzhong believes that the Japanese military intervened because Hasebe Ren Yan moved an important figure in Tokyo, and the Japanese military department discovered the "Peking man" fossil. The military department thinks that Fan Qing, the ingot maker, is very capable and asked him to undertake this task. Pei Wenzhong's Report on the Stolen and Missing Fossil Specimen of Peking Man, Archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, all 5(2), Volume 9 14.

1943 In May and June, there was a sudden news that "Beijingers" were found in Tianjin, and Miss Bai was asked to go to Tianjin to identify the authenticity, but she was soon brought back, saying that what was found in Tianjin had nothing to do with Chinese apes. From then on, until Japan surrendered, Japanese officials never mentioned "Beijingers" again. On this basis, Pei Wenzhong speculated during the war that the Japanese might have found what they wanted.

Pursuing "Beijingers" after the War

After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the national government and non-governmental organizations immediately searched in many ways. Pei Wenzhong wrote to Weng, the former director of the Central Geological Survey, and Li Chunyu, the current director, on August 28th 1945 and October 26th1945, respectively, saying that "two boxes of ape-man specimens were handed over to the American Embassy, but failed to be shipped out, and war broke out. A year later, Hasebe Ren Yan and Dong Er Takai, anthropology professors at Imperial University in Tokyo, came to Pingping to continue their research. They tried to ask Hutton questions, but failed. The Japanese searched everywhere in Qinhuangdao, Tianjin and Peiping, saying that they could not find it. Since then, no one has pursued it ... Hutton and other suspicious specimens had to go to the Japanese, but pretended not to know. " "I request permission to visit Qinhuangdao ... please pay attention to the Chinese ape-man in the Japanese investigation team." Pei Wenzhong's letter to Li Chunyu and others,1945165438+126, Archives of China Second Historical Archives, full 28( 16), volume 134. On September 28th, Pei Wenzhong sent a letter to Dunrui Wei through the Red Cross, hoping that Webster would seek the cooperation of MacArthur intelligence personnel through the trustee of Rockefeller Foundation and publish an article on the disappearance of Chinese ape-man specimens in The New York Times.

In order to mobilize more people to look for the missing Beijingers, Pei Wenzhong wrote an article "Where are Beijingers" at the request of Ta Kung Pao reporter Xu Ying, which was published in Chongqing, Shanghai and Tianjin in June+February, 5438. According to Reuters's Beijing Ta Kung Pao on February 4th 1945 and Beijing English Times1October 2nd 1946, the hijacked "Beijingers" have been found in Japan. Upon hearing the news, Weng Wenhao sent a letter to General Marshall of the United States on 1946 65438+ 10/9, requesting that Peking Man fossils be returned to China, with a list of cultural relics looted from Zhoukoudian. However, what was actually found and returned were "the stone tools and bones taken from Zhoukoudian cave and the first and fifteenth floors" and "the photos and documents excavated in Zhoukoudian", while the whereabouts of "Beijingers" were still unknown. Memorandum from the Japanese delegation to the allied headquarters, April 30th, 1946, with a total volume of 375,846.

The Japanese government instructed the Japanese delegation in China to make a careful investigation, and the Ministry of Education sent Li Ji, an expert from the wartime cultural relics clearing committee, to Japan for assistance. 1March 4, 948, the Civil Property Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote a report to the Civil Property Management Group of the Allied Headquarters: "The investigation of this bureau shows that A? 194 1 12 The Japanese troops stationed in Qinhuangdao and its surroundings are the 15 wing of the 27th Division. Due to the loss of relevant information, the name and current address of the troops are unknown. b？ It is not clear whether this unit is related to the case of "Peking man" fossil loss. c？ The Bureau of Reconstruction asked Yuji Nakamura, Tsukumoto Masadai and Shimane Takeshi, three staff officers of the former North China Dispatching Army, but they were not appointed.

What are the cases related to the loss of fossil bones? d？ Unfortunately, according to the current situation, it is impossible to conduct a more in-depth investigation. "

1948 12.6, Pei Wenzhong wrote to Li Chunyu, expressing his views on finding "Beijingers". "When my brother went to Tokyo, he wrote to Mr. Li Jizhi, asking him to ask Dong Er Takai and Hasebe, because when looking for them, it was close to the time of losing contact, and asked the officers and men of the US Marine Corps in Fengtai concentration camp. However, according to Mr. Li's arrival in peacetime, the US military headquarters claimed that they did not know the whereabouts of the two men, but actually sought to meet them but could not get them. Now Takai Toyoji is still a teaching assistant in the Department of Geology of Tokyo Imperial University. How can I answer that there is no whereabouts? " . "Japan's reply", asked the Japanese in Qinhuangdao, when they don't know, they know and deny it. So my brother thinks that the key is the allied headquarters in Tokyo. If you ask Takai and Hasebe at that time and' Wing Fan Qing' of the gendarmerie, it will be even worse and you can get real news. Pei Wenzhong's speculation about the whereabouts of fossils was obtained by the Japanese (that is, Hasebe). Why doesn't he look after it anymore? Hutton of Concorde also thinks so; But Bowen thinks it's impossible. However, in any case, please ask Gao Jing and others to get first-hand information, so there is no doubt. Takai now tells people (one of his younger brothers is studying there) that he has been looking for it for several months and there is no result. Pure prevarication. What we should know is: where, who searched and what was the result? If he is asked to repeat the experience he is looking for, he can't deny that he didn't find it! "Pei Wenzhong finally thought that" there is little hope of finding it, and I always think that the key lies in the' Union General' ". Letter from Pei Wenzhong to Li Chunyu1948 65438+February 6, 2008, the archives of the Second Historical Archives of China, all 375, volume 846.

So, why are the Federation of Trade Unions and the United States not enthusiastic? We can speculate that in the chapter "Verification and recourse of stolen cultural relics after the war", the changes in the post-war world political structure are analyzed. Due to the formation of the cold war situation, the United States wants to support Japan and make it a "bridgehead against eastern capitalism", which cannot but affect the policy of returning looted goods. But it does not rule out the possibility that fossils will flow into the United States. After all, American scientists and marines are the parties, and American personnel are the last witnesses of the loss of fossils in China. They know the whereabouts of fossils, at least, they should know when and where they were lost. But so far, Americans have failed to provide the exact location of the fossil theft. Why don't you investigate the captured marines and don't want China to ask Takai?

195 1, seeking Beijingers in the early days of the founding of New China. In the 1970s, the search for "Beijingers" became a hot topic again, and books and reports about the whereabouts of "Beijingers" appeared constantly.

Who does the Beijinger live in?

From the time point of view, it can almost be ruled out that Peking man's skull fossils were lost on the way to the United States. Because Harry

On the way from Manila to Qinhuangdao, the Pacific War broke out and the ship hit the rocks and sank outside the Yangtze River estuary. Of course, it is impossible to transport fossils as far away as Qinhuangdao or Tianjin. But it does not rule out the possibility of hiding in the middle. In 1980s, American paleoanthropologist Shapiro published a book "Beijingers", which he thought was changed in the basement of Tianjin.

There are also many people who think that "Beijingers" are in the United States. 1972, US President Nixon visited China. In order to break the ice of long-term hostility between China and America, Nixon tried to find a "Beijinger" as a gift for China, but failed. Janas, who accompanied Nixon to China, offered a reward of $5,000 to find "Beijingers" and got many clues, but none of them were the specimens he was looking for. A lady said that she was hiding "Beijingers" and made an appointment to meet Janus on the floor of Empire State Building 102. Both sides arrived as scheduled. When the lady took out the photo, Janus's eyes lit up and he thought it was great, which is exactly what he wanted to see! Then bargaining, talking and seeing someone taking pictures, the lady flew away with her bag, but Janus couldn't catch up. 1On March 8th, 993, Brown, an officer and historian of a certain US Navy, thought that the skull fossils of "Beijingers" might be in new york, and published a message on the New York Post, offering a reward of 2? 50,000 dollars to find "Peking man" skull fossils.

Are Peking man fossils in Japan? If the fossils and the US Marine Corps do fall into Japanese hands in Qinhuangdao, then the possibility lies in Japan. How to understand Japanese wartime search? One explanation is to hide people's eyes and ears, and the other explanation is really not in Japan's hands. There is also a saying that two boxes containing Chinese apes were robbed twice by the Japanese in the warehouse in Qinhuangdao at that time. It is difficult to guarantee that these two wooden boxes were not destroyed by the Japanese in the war, but the Japanese side still does not know.

After the war, some people think that fossils are unlikely to be in Japan, such as Bowen and others. Li, a China scholar who has been studying the whereabouts of Beijingers for a long time and the president of Guangming Daily Press, believes that the possibility of fossils in Japan can be basically ruled out. The reason is: "Since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening up, China and Japan have exchanged views on the issue of skull disappearance, and Japan firmly denies being in Japan." "From the point of common sense, the reason why the skull of' Beijingers' is precious lies mainly in its important research value. It is meaningful to pay more attention to it. If it is in Japan, whether it is in the hands of the government or among the people, it should be announced. There is no hidden reason, and it doesn't make any sense to do so. " According to Li, Jia Lanpo, a famous anthropologist, once said that he did not believe that Peking man's skull was in Japan. The above analysis also makes sense. This is similar to Hutton's opposition to transporting Peking man fossils to the United States in 194 1. Cultural relics are the witness of human development and the common wealth of human beings. They should be protected and enjoy the research results, rather than taking them for themselves. However, it can't be done at all in reality. During the war, the Japanese plundered a large number of cultural relics from China. After the war, Japan did not cooperate and tried its best to prevent the looted goods from being returned to China. How to understand this? In the late 1980s, paleontologist Zhou Xingguo went to Tokyo to hold a "dinosaur exhibition". He wanted to know more about Beijingers and meet Dong Er Takai, but Dong Er Takai refused this request and sent a letter to Japan, in which he denied that the fossils had been to Japan and asserted that "they were shipped to the United States by sea". Zhou Xingguo believes that Japan is more likely than the United States. Japan was an aggressor country at that time and was very predatory. During World War II, the Japanese stole a Thoreau skull fossil found in Java, and it was not recovered until after the war. After all, it happened under Japanese control.