[Explainer] The Genetic Base of the Han Chinese: How 28 Han-Dynasty Individuals in Shandong Trace a Longshan–Han Continuity

“Where did the Han Chinese come from?” is one of the public’s favorite questions. A Fudan University team led by Wang Chuanchao offers the latest ancient-DNA answer: they sequenced genomes from 28 Han-dynasty individuals across two cemeteries at Zibo, Shandong — Xujiadong and Zhouhe — and compared them against published ancient genomes across China. Note: the paper first went online in early February 2026 and drew community coverage only in late April, a slightly early, borderline item.

The analysis points to Central Plains Longshan-related ancestry as central to Han formation. The authors describe the Han as a dynamic admixture process: driven mainly by demic expansion of Longshan-related populations, layered with local components from different regions. The Han were not a “pure” people who appeared overnight; they are the product of long-term fusion.

The study also identifies lower-Yellow-River Han-dynasty people as a hub of exchange between northern millet and southern rice agricultural spheres. The 28 individuals from Zibo stand exactly on that north–south crossroads: their genomes carry both the northern base inherited from Longshan times and traces of ongoing north–south interaction.

It is among the most direct ancient-DNA evidence yet on a question the public cares about: a clear Longshan-to-Han continuity, with admixture never switching off.

Source: Qiu C. et al., corr. Wang C. BMC Biology (Fudan MOE Key Lab report), online 2026-02.