Palaeontological interest started in 2004 when a farmer accidentally found bones that were later identified as mammalian fossils.
The most notable fossils are those of the Hualongdong people,[4] including Homo erectus (dubbed Dongzhi Man) described in 2014,[5] and that of a 300,000-year-old archaic human discovered in 2019.
[3] Popularized as Dongzhi Man, a human fossil described in 2014 from Hualong Cave is considered as among the most well-preserved Homo erectus specimens.
It consisted of two skull fragments and one separated (lower molar) teeth.
[2] The fossil assemblage included 8 cranial elements, seven isolated teeth, three femoral diaphyseal pieces, and major portions of an adolescent skull (designated HLD 6, HLD for Hualongdong).