Genetic stability in the lower Yangtze River basin from Song to Qing Dynasty

AI interpretationAI-generated

Song-to-Qing genomes from the lower Yangtze show long-term genetic stability.

This study reports the first ancient genomes from the lower Yangtze basin, covering eight people who lived between the Song and Qing dynasties. Most were genetically very similar to one another, pointing to a stable local population over many centuries. Seven of the eight drew most of their ancestry from ancient Yellow River-related groups, with the rest from a southern East Asian source. Modern Han people in the region look like direct descendants of these historical individuals, and one Qing sample even shows a link to the Eastern Mediterranean.

• Most of the eight Song-to-Qing individuals were genetically homogeneous, indicating long-term regional stability.
• Seven individuals carried 69.3-100% ancestry from ancient Yellow River-related populations, with the remainder from a southern East Asian substrate.
• Modern Han Chinese in the lower Yangtze basin can be modelled as direct genetic descendants of these historical people.
• One Qing Dynasty sample shows a genetic connection to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Sample interpretation

Eight ancient individuals came from three Jiangsu sites: three from Nainaimiao East in Suqian, three from Kongwangshan village in Lianyungang, and two from the Lianyungang stadium site. Y-chromosome haplogroups were resolved for four males, all belonging to O lineages (O-TYT162570, O-Y29783, O-F16340). Mitochondrial lineages include M32'56, D4j6, M7c1b2b, D5a2a1, and D5b, with one sample unresolved. These small numbers mean the Y and mtDNA patterns are suggestive, not definitive.

For genealogy enthusiasts

For ancestry fans, this supports the idea that the lower Yangtze has been a long-term genetic bridge between northern and southern East Asia, blending Yellow River-related and local rice-farming ancestry while staying remarkably continuous into modern Han populations.