At a glance
- When
- about 5000 to 1500 BCE for the Yangshao and Longshan cultures, with some later entries
- Where
- the Yellow River valley and northern China, from Shandong to Gansu and Inner Mongolia
- Entries in our catalogue
- 250 (166 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 1
What ancient DNA shows
A 2020 study in Science found that northern and southern East Asian populations had already diverged by about 9500 years ago, and that the Yellow River farmers carried northern East Asian ancestry. Over the following millennia this northern ancestry spread south and increasingly shaped the populations of southern China.
A 2020 study in Nature Communications found that Yangshao and Longshan individuals were genetically similar to each other across a wide area, and that farmers of the Hongshan culture in the West Liao River region to the northeast carried increasing amounts of Yellow River related ancestry. A 2021 study in Nature found Yellow River related ancestry in ancient Tibetans as well, which fits the spread of the Sino-Tibetan languages from the upper Yellow River.
Their genetic legacy today
Present-day Han Chinese carry ancestry largely related to the Yellow River farmers, mixed with southern East Asian ancestry that rises from north to south, and Tibetans carry it alongside ancestry from the plateau's earlier inhabitants.
Ancient Chinese samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 250 entries whose culture label names the Ancient Chinese. 166 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 250 dated entries fall between 3,712 BCE and 2,350 BCE, with a median of 3,153 BCE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| China | 250 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Yangshao Culture (China) | 72 |
| Longshan Culture (China) | 70 |
| Yellow River Chinese (China) | 24 |
| Neolithic Northern China | 16 |
| Hongshan Culture (Neolithic, West Liao / NW Hebei) | 15 |
| Hongshan Culture (China) | 4 |
Measured from the live catalogue on 2026-10-17. Dates are those recorded for each entry; the archaeological dates of the culture are given above. See our data sources for where the samples come from.
Compare your DNA with the Ancient Chinese
To see how close you sit to Ancient Chinese samples, you need your DNA as G25 coordinates. Download your raw data file from your testing company, convert it, and MYDNATLAS compares your coordinates with these entries and the rest of the catalogue, period by period, in its closest population and mixture tools.
- Download your raw DNA file: step by step for each testing company.
- Upload it from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage or FamilyTreeDNA, or another supported provider.
- Explore the results with the period by period breakdown and closest populations.
Start free: browse the Population Encyclopedia. The Population Encyclopedia is free to browse with a free account; analysing your own DNA needs a paid plan.
Questions
How many Ancient Chinese samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 250 entries labelled as Ancient Chinese, of which 166 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Ancient Chinese samples found?
They come from 1 country, most often China. Half of the dated entries fall between 3,712 BCE and 2,350 BCE.
Are the Han Chinese descended from the Yellow River farmers?
Largely, according to ancient DNA. Yellow River farmer ancestry is the main component of northern Han populations and a substantial one in the south, where it mixed with the ancestry of earlier southern East Asian populations.