Genetic evidence supports demic diffusion of Han culture

Bo Wen, Hui Li, Daru Lu, Xiufeng Song, Feng Zhang, Yungang He, Feng Li, Yang Gao, Xianyun Mao, Liang Zhang, Ji Qian, Jingze Tan, Jianzhong Jin, Wei Huang, Ranjan Deka, Bing Su, Ranajit Chakraborty and Li Jin ()
Additional contact information
Bo Wen: Fudan University
Hui Li: Fudan University
Daru Lu: Fudan University
Xiufeng Song: Fudan University
Feng Zhang: Fudan University
Yungang He: Fudan University
Feng Li: Fudan University
Yang Gao: Fudan University
Xianyun Mao: Fudan University
Liang Zhang: Fudan University
Ji Qian: Fudan University
Jingze Tan: Fudan University
Jianzhong Jin: Fudan University
Wei Huang: Chinese National Human Genome Center
Ranjan Deka: University of Cincinnati
Bing Su: Fudan University
Ranajit Chakraborty: University of Cincinnati
Li Jin: Fudan University

Nature, 2004, vol. 431, issue 7006, 302-305

Abstract: Abstract The spread of culture and language in human populations is explained by two alternative models: the demic diffusion model, which involves mass movement of people; and the cultural diffusion model, which refers to cultural impact between populations and involves limited genetic exchange between them1. The mechanism of the peopling of Europe has long been debated, a key issue being whether the diffusion of agriculture and language from the Near East was concomitant with a large movement of farmers1,2,3. Here we show, by systematically analysing Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA variation in Han populations, that the pattern of the southward expansion of Han culture is consistent with the demic diffusion model, and that males played a larger role than females in this expansion. The Han people, who all share the same culture and language, exceed 1.16 billion (2000 census), and are by far the largest ethnic group in the world. The expansion process of Han culture is thus of great interest to researchers in many fields.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02878

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