| Summary/Abstract |
This article explores what we can learn about the history of the Han Chinese by bringing textual sources into conversation with current genetic research. It looks first at what Chinese wrote about their "we group" versus foreign others, especially in the long Middle Period from 400 to 1500, with attention to social and political context. It then turns to the genetic evidence, both from contemporary populations in the PRC and from ancient DNA from archaeological sites. When we look at both sets of evidence together, we are better able to evaluate the significance of each and come to a more grounded understanding of the growth of the Han Chinese ethnic group over time.
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