The Han are the largest ethnic group in Chinese history, accounting for 91.59% of the country's total population. Due to the large-scale migration and mixed blood of Han people in history, Han genes have a more special place. This article will explore the genetic characteristics of Han people from the perspective of genetics.
First, some genetic variants were found in Han Chinese, which may have been the result of historical processes of natural selection. For example, one study found that a subset of Han Chinese people possess a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the IL-7R gene, a variant associated with the function of T cell receptors. In addition, there are variants that span the entire genome that are more common among Han Chinese than in other ethnic groups, meaning they may have been around for thousands of years.
Second, the genetic diversity of the Han population is not very high. Compared with other ethnic groups, the population genetic diversity of Han people is lower, indicating that Han people are closer to each other than other races. The decline in genetic diversity can be attributed to factors such as historical migration and cultural integration of Han Chinese, densely populated social pressures and long-term internal marriage.
In addition, there are some common genetic variants among Han Chinese, which may be related to specific physiological characteristics. For example, many Han Chinese people lack certain enzymes in their bodies, which can lead to some medications not being effective. A 2015 study also found that some genetic variants in Han Chinese affect their sweetness receptors, making them more sensitive to the taste of vanilla flavor and other compounds.
However, genetically, the differences between Han Chinese and other Asian races are relatively small. In recent decades, most genetic studies of Asian races have been conducted on East Asian populations, including Japanese, Koreans, Chinese (mainly Han Chinese), and regional ethnic minorities. These studies show that across Asia, the genomes of Han Chinese do not differ significantly from other races.
In general, as one of the largest ethnic groups in the world, the Han people have some special places in their genes. While some genetic variants may be associated with physiological traits, Han Chinese populations as a whole have lower genetic diversity and relatively little differences from other Asian races. However, it should be pointed out that genetic research is still in the stage of continuous development, our understanding may not be complete, and more research is needed to reveal the genetic characteristics of Han people.