1. Some scholars believe that the Yuanmou era belongs to the early Pleistocene, about 654.38 0.7 million years ago (Lipu et al.) or 654.38 0.6 million years ago (Cheng et al.). The specific basis is the strata, fossil morphology and mammalian fossils associated with Yuanmou man's fossils, which is the main basis for judging the approximate age range, while the relatively accurate absolute age is determined by paleomagnetic method. See:

Li Pu, Qian Fang, Ma Xinghua, et al. A Preliminary Study on Paleomagnetism of Yuanmou Man in Fossil Age [J]. China Science, 1976, 6: 579-59 1.

Qian Fang Pu Qingyu. Study on Yuanmou Formation of Yuanmou Man Fossil Layer [J]. Journal of Geology, 1977, 1:89-99.

Cheng, Li Suling, Lin. Discussion on the geological age of Yuanmou people and the early events in Songshan [J]. Geological Science, 1977, 1:34-43.

2. There are different opinions about the age of Yuanmou. For example:

You Yuzhu and others believe that it belongs to the Middle Pleistocene. See: [You Yuzhu, Liu Houyi, Pan Yuerong. Late Cenozoic strata and vertebrate fossils in Yuanmou and Banguo basins, Yunnan [A]. See: Editorial Committee of Journal of Stratigraphic Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. Transactions of Stratigraphic Paleontology (Seventh Series) [C]. Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1978. 40-67. This is not absolute. But the general understanding of the Middle Pleistocene era is about 780,000 years ago to 6,543.8+0.3 million years ago.

Urabe et al. and Hyogo believe that the Yuanmou era was not earlier than 700,000 years ago. See:

Orabi, Nakaye, Muto, and so on. Lithostratigraphy and Sedimentary History of Late Cenozoic Anthropoceous Strata Series in Yuanmou Basin, Southwest China [J]. Quaternary Science Review, 200 1, 20:1671-1.

Et al. Paleomagnetic Age of Ancient Human Relics in Yuanmou, China and Other Asian Regions [J]. Beijing: China Geological Publishing House, 200 1. Journal of Human Evolution, 2002,43: 27-41.

Liu Dongsheng and others believe that the fossil age of Yuanmou man is the Middle Pleistocene, which should not exceed 730,000 years, but maybe 600,000-500,000 years ago. See: Liu Dongsheng and Ding Menglin. Discussion on the Fossil Geological Age of Yuanmou Man [J]. Acta Anthropologica,1983,2 (1): 40-48.

Moreover, the remains of the Paleolithic Age are relatively rare, and the related archaeological discoveries are also quite accidental. Because Yuanmou discovered it earlier, many new ancient human fossils or human remains were discovered after it, all of which may be earlier than Yuanmou, such as Longgupo in Wushan, Chongqing, Renzi Cave in Fanchang, Anhui, and Ma Quan ditch site in Nihewan Basin.

To sum up, it is not appropriate to conclude that Yuanmou in Yunnan is the earliest place where human beings lived in China.