基因破解千年悬棺主人与现存人群遗传关系

Core Insights - A recent study confirms that the modern "Bai" population in Qiubei County, Yunnan, is a direct descendant of the ancient hanging coffin burial practitioners, providing a scientific answer to the long-standing mystery of the origins of the hanging coffins and the Bai people [1][2] Group 1: Research Findings - The study, led by the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, utilized ancient genomic analysis to establish a direct genetic link between the modern Bai population and the ancient hanging coffin individuals, with approximately 43%-79% of the modern genome traceable to the Zhaotong hanging coffin population [2] - The research also reconstructed the origin and diffusion path of the hanging coffin burial practice, suggesting it originated from the southeastern coastal region of China, with Wuyi Mountain in Fujian likely being the source [2] Group 2: Cultural Insights - The study indicates that the hanging coffin custom spread westward along the Yangtze River and its tributaries to the Yungui Plateau, and further south to Southeast Asia, highlighting the migration of populations alongside the cultural practice [2] - Notably, two ancient remains from the Washi hanging coffin site in Weixin County, Zhaotong, show genetic components from both the Yellow River agricultural populations and ancient Northeast Asian groups, reflecting significant cultural inclusivity and population integration during the Tang Dynasty [2]