Ping Wan-Jing, Xue Jia-Yang, Fu Qiao-Mei
Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Yi Chuan. 2025 Jan;47(1):18-33. doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.24-224.
Over the past decade, the continuous development of ancient genomic technology and research has significantly advanced our understanding of human history. Since 2017, large-scale studies of ancient human genomes in East Asia, particularly in China, have emerged, resulting in a wealth of ancient genomic data from various time periods and locations, which has provided new insights into the genetic history of East Asian populations over tens of thousands of years. Especially since 2022, there emerged a series of new research progresses in the genetic histories of the northern and southern Chinese populations within the past 10,000 years. However, there is currently no systematic review focused on these recent ancient genomic studies in East Asia. Therefore, this article emphasizes the study of ancient human genomes in China and systematically reviews the genetic patterns and migration history of populations in East Asia since the Late Paleolithic. Existing research indicates that by at least 19,000 years ago, there was a north-south differentiation among ancient East Asian populations, leading to different genetic lineages divided by the Qinling-Huaihe line. Gene flow and interactions between northern and southern East Asians began in the Early Neolithic and were further strengthened from the Mid-Neolithic. By the historical period, northern East Asian ancestry played a profound role in the genetic components of southern populations, shaping the genetic structure of present-day Chinese populations. Throughout this process, ancient populations in northern and southern China also engaged in extensive interactions through coastal and inland routes with populations from surrounding regions, including Siberia, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and Pacific islands, playing a crucial role in the formation of different linguistic groups. These studies have charted the evolutionary and interaction history of East Asian populations over tens of thousands of years; yet, many unresolved mysteries remain. Further exploration is needed through ancient genomic data from additional time periods and broader geographic areas to facilitate a more comprehensive and detailed investigation, thereby advancing related scientific questions.
在过去十年中，古代基因组技术与研究的不断发展极大地推动了我们对人类历史的理解。自2017年以来，东亚地区，尤其是中国，开展了大规模的古代人类基因组研究，产生了大量来自不同时期和地点的古代基因组数据，为深入了解东亚人群数万年的遗传历史提供了新的视角。特别是自2022年以来，关于中国北方和南方人群近一万年遗传历史的一系列新研究进展不断涌现。然而，目前尚无针对东亚地区这些最新古代基因组研究的系统性综述。因此，本文着重探讨中国古代人类基因组研究，并系统回顾了旧石器时代晚期以来东亚人群的遗传模式和迁徙历史。现有研究表明，至少在19000年前，古代东亚人群就已出现南北分化，形成了以秦岭 - 淮河线为界的不同遗传谱系。东亚南北部人群之间的基因流动与相互作用始于新石器时代早期，并在新石器时代中期进一步加强。到了历史时期，东亚北部人群的血统在南方人群的遗传构成中发挥了深远作用，塑造了现代中国人群的遗传结构。在这一过程中，中国北方和南方的古代人群还通过沿海和内陆路线与包括西伯利亚、日本、韩国、东南亚及太平洋岛屿在内的周边地区人群进行了广泛互动，这在不同语系的形成中起到了关键作用。这些研究描绘了东亚人群数万年的进化与互动历史；然而，仍有许多未解之谜。需要通过来自更多时期和更广泛地理区域的古代基因组数据进行进一步探索，以促进更全面、详细的研究，从而推动相关科学问题的解决。
