Boundary of physical variations between northern, southern Chinese found

Researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have determined that the Qinling Mountains and Yangtze River should be the boundary where the physical characteristics between the northern and southern Chinese populations diverge, according to the CAS.

The conclusion was based on specific research on head and facial characteristics of ancient inhabitants in regions north of the Qinling Mountains, south of the Yangtze River and between the Qinling Mountains and the Yangtze River.

Wu Xiujie, an associate researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, found that the inhabitants of the Neolithic Period in regions south of the Yangtze River were characterized by a relatively wider nose and lower upper face height.

The inhabitants in regions north of the Qinling Mountain Range were characterized by relatively higher upper face height and orbit height. Those in regions between the Qinling Mountain Range and Yangtze River had more complicated physical characteristics that mixed the features of northern and southern Chinese populations.

Today, the inhabitants in regions north of the Qinling Mountain Range have a wider face and a taller nose than those in regions south of the Yangtze River. Wu and other researchers came to their conclusions based on research on more than 300 human remains excavated from 34 archaeological sites of the Neolithic Period along with the research on fauna, phytoecology, hematology, genetics and language family.

They believe such variations resulted from the long-term adaptation to the environment. The variations may date back to 600,000 years ago between Homo erectus in northern Zhoukoudian and those in southern Nanjing Tangshan.

During years of research on the physical characteristics of China's ancient inhabitants, researchers have drawn their conclusions mainly by analyzing the average value of some major measured skull data.

Author: Zhao Yahui, People's Daily,July 30, 2010