Amazing stuff!
"Researchers have reconstructed the face of Chinese Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou who lived 1,500 years ago.
Deep DNA analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms, frequently called SNPs (pronounced “snips”), are the most common type of genetic variation among people and analysing them unlocked the facial features of Wu. ...
Wu’s rule was cut short when he died at 36 years old. Apart from giving us a glimpse at this ancient Chinese ruler, the research also suggests that Wu may have died from a stroke. His tomb was found in northwestern China in 1996.
Emperor Wu was ethnically Xianbei. These were a nomadic people who lived in what is today Mongolia and northern and northeastern China. ..."
From the highlights and abstract:
"Highlights
• Wudi had a typical East or Northeast Asian facial appearance
• Pathogenic SNPs suggest an increased susceptibility of Wudi to stroke
• Wudi derived ancestry from Northeast Asians but also has Han-related admixture
Summary
Emperor Wu (武帝, Wudi) of the Xianbei-led Northern Zhou dynasty, named Yuwen Yong (宇文邕, 543–578 CE), was a highly influential emperor who reformed the system of regional troops, pacified the Turks, and unified the northern part of the country. His genetic profile and physical characteristics, including his appearance and potential diseases, have garnered significant interest from the academic community and the public. In this study, we have successfully generated a 0.343×-coverage genome of Wudi with 1,011,419 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the 1240k panel. By analyzing pigmentation-relevant SNPs and conducting cranial CT-based facial reconstruction, we have determined that Wudi possessed a typical East or Northeast Asian appearance. Furthermore, pathogenic SNPs suggest Wudi faced an increased susceptibility to certain diseases, such as stroke. Wudi shared the closest genetic relationship with ancient Khitan and Heishui Mohe samples and modern Daur and Mongolian populations but also showed additional affinity with Yellow River (YR) farmers. We estimated that Wudi derived 61% of his ancestry from ancient Northeast Asians (ANAs) and nearly one-third from YR farmer-related groups. This can likely be attributed to continuous intermarriage between Xianbei royal families, and local Han aristocrats. Furthermore, our study has revealed genetic diversities among available ancient Xianbei individuals from different regions, suggesting that the formation of the Xianbei was a dynamic process influenced by admixture with surrounding populations."
Territories of China in 560 CE.
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