Research takes DNA path to historic figures

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Research takes DNA path to historic figures

By Jiang Jie (Global Times) 10:20, November 13, 2013

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The Shanghai-based Fudan University plans to study China's historic figures, including Confucius, with the help of modern DNA technology, as their research to map the DNA of Cao Cao, an ancient Chinese warlord, has made groundbreaking progress.

At a media conference on Monday, the university's research group introduced latest DNA findings on Cao Cao, a famous warlord and politician from the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), as the result had already been published in the Journal of Human Genetics, an official magazine of the Japan Society of Human Genetics, according to the Beijing Times.

Led by two professors from history and anthropology departments respectively, the research was launched after the discovery of an alleged Cao Cao tomb in Central China's Henan Province in 2009.

After research fellows collected over 1,000 DNA samples from possible descendents of Cao and ran tests on them, they revealed his family DNA and offered clues to his ancestry, which had long been a mystery.

According to historical accounts such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Cao was believed to have been an aristocrat while folklore suggested he was adopted and that his biological father was very poor.

The findings have eliminated the possibility that Cao was the descendent of a famous aristocrat.

"Our research is of great significance in the sense that it enables people to identify the DNA of a historic figure through modern DNA samples," Han Sheng, one of the two professors leading the research, told the Beijing Times.

"The research marks a breakthrough in the fields of history and genetics. We hope to solve more historical mysteries with the help of modern technology," said Han.

The findings have also excited some science enthusiasts.

Feng Zhihua, a member of the Songshuhui-Association of Science Communicators, said that he is looking forward to more research on Confucius and other historical figures. "It would be exciting if they could prove the existence of these people, not just by records in books and legends," Feng told the Global Times.

However, others told the Global Times that they attach little significance to the findings.

Tong Zhiwei, a professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times that such research should not consume too much resource. "More investment should be made and more attention should be paid to issues related to people's livelihoods," said Tong.

Wang Chuanchao, a PhD student with the research group, said that the research can help future probes into hereditary diseases through Y chromosome classifications. "Besides, our research has made much contribution to the forensics identification."