Wars and trade saw human genes from East and West fuse as over a million Han dynasty immigrants moved to Ningxia, genomics research reveals
3-MIN READ3-MINShi HuangPublished: 12:00pm, 23 Jun 2026Ningxia is a perfect example of how the East meets the West. Located in the northwest inland region of China, it is the intersection of the Eurasian steppe and Chinese farmlands.
The researchers found that human genes from the East and the West have fused through wars and trade in this narrow strip of land, now known as the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.
Among the 22 Han dynasty skeletons uncovered in this study, the vast majority cluster genetically similarly to Yellow River basin farmers.
