Yi DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · China (Sichuan, Yunnan) · East Asia
The Yi are one of the largest minority peoples of southwestern China, with more than eight million people in Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou; the Liangshan mountains of southern Sichuan are the heartland of the Nuosu, the largest Yi group. Yi languages belong to the Loloish branch of Tibeto-Burman, and the Yi have their own traditional script. In our model, the Yi average is 89.2% East Asian, 7.5% Southeast Asian Neolithic farmer, 2.2% South Asian hunter-gatherer related and a 1.0% Papuan and Near Oceanian trace. Compared with their Naxi neighbours (3.4%), the Yi carry about twice as much of the Southeast Asian Neolithic component, a sign of closer ties with populations further south. The closest modern averages are the Naxi (0.0142), the Bai of Dali and Tibetans from Xinlong in western Sichuan. The closest ancient groups are a Tang-era group with a Sino-Tibetan profile from Lafuqueke in Xinjiang (0.0324) and Neolithic farmers from Baligang in Henan (0.034).
- Largest ancient components in our model: East Asian 89.2%, Southeast Asian Neolithic farmers 7.5%, South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) 2.2%
- Closest modern population in our data: Naxi, distance 0.0142
- Closest ancient group in our data: Xinjiang HP Tang Dynasty-Uygur Period Lafuqueke (Sino-Tibetan Profile), distance 0.0324
Where does Yi DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Yi individuals sampled in China (Sichuan, Yunnan) and compare them with deep ancestral reference populations, with other modern groups and with ancient genomes. It is one of 335 populations in our atlas.
Ancient make-up of the Yi average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Yi average, 89.2%, goes to East Asian, ahead of Southeast Asian Neolithic farmers (7.5%) and South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) (2.2%). The East Asian component reflects ancestry most common today in East Asia. With well over half of the total, this single source dominates the profile.
Smaller traces of South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) and Papuan and Near Oceanian (under 5% each) also appear. At that level they can reflect real minor ancestry, but also simple model noise, so they should not be over-read. The fit is acceptable (fit distance 0.035): treat the proportions as a good approximation rather than exact values. This population was modelled with a global set of reference populations (ancient genomes, plus modern stand-ins where no suitable ancient genome exists), because West Eurasian sources alone cannot describe it.
Fenghuang – Sinosphere Report
Closest modern populations to Yi
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Yi average is Naxi, at a distance of 0.014 (very close). Next come Bai at 0.018 and Tibetan (Xinlong) at 0.019. By the tenth closest (Pumi) the distance grows to 0.035, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naxi | 0.0142 | Very close |
| 2 | Bai | 0.0184 | Very close |
| 3 | Tibetan (Xinlong) | 0.0192 | Very close |
| 4 | Jingpo (Yunnan) | 0.0220 | Very close |
| 5 | Jingpo (Yunnan) | 0.0279 | Close |
| 6 | Naga (Myanmar) | 0.0283 | Close |
| 7 | Achang (Yunnan) | 0.0287 | Close |
| 8 | Qiang (Danba) | 0.0305 | Close |
| 9 | Naga (Chakhesang) | 0.0327 | Close |
| 10 | Pumi | 0.0345 | Close |
Distances are Euclidean distances between averaged G25 coordinates. On our scale, below 0.025 is very close, below 0.050 close, below 0.080 moderate, and beyond that distant.
Closest ancient populations to Yi
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Yi average is Xinjiang HP Tang Dynasty-Uygur Period Lafuqueke (Sino-Tibetan Profile) (Tang dynasty, 618-907 AD), at 0.032. China Henan LN Yangchao Baligang and China Henan MN Yangchao Baligang come next. That is a close match: much of the modern profile was already present then, while later movements of people added further layers. A close ancient match is not proof of direct descent: it means those individuals carried a similar overall mix of ancestry.
| # | Ancient sample or group | Period | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xinjiang HP Tang Dynasty-Uygur Period Lafuqueke (Sino-Tibetan Profile) | Tang dynasty, 618-907 AD | 0.0324 |
| 2 | China Henan LN Yangchao Baligang | Late Neolithic | 0.0340 |
| 3 | China Henan MN Yangchao Baligang | Middle Neolithic | 0.0342 |
| 4 | China Henan HP Tang Dynasty Lusixi | Tang dynasty, 618-907 AD | 0.0404 |
| 5 | China Henan LN Qujialing Baligang | Late Neolithic | 0.0406 |
| 6 | China Henan MN Yangshao Zhugang | Middle Neolithic | 0.0406 |
| 7 | China Henan EBA Erlitou Wangchenggang | Early Bronze Age | 0.0406 |
| 8 | China Guizhou HP Yuan-Ming Dynasty Songshan | Ming dynasty, 1368-1644 AD | 0.0412 |
| 9 | China Jiangsu HP Song Dynasty | Historical period | 0.0416 |
| 10 | China Henan LN Longshan Baligang | Late Neolithic | 0.0416 |
Ancient DNA from China
Our ancient DNA database holds 2,865 individuals excavated in present-day China, dated from about 100,550 BC to 1823 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are O2a (168), C2b (74) and N1b (59), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are D4 (208), C4 (121) and B4 (72). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Yi population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| D4 | 208 | NE34 NE-5 NE5_AmurRiver |
| C4 | 121 | WQM4 NE9 NE-9 |
| B4 | 72 | Tianyuan BS Dushan4-1 |
| F1 | 68 | NE19 WGM35 18R21265 |
| D5 | 50 | BLSM14 BLSM27S BLSM45 |
| U5 | 49 | NLKG218_M5-1 G218M5-3N C3340 |
| G2 | 45 | NE56 JZ24089582-C24-22 S96 |
| A | 35 | M89_Houtaomuga JZ24089566-C8-28 ZJG7 |
Ancient DNA studies on China
- Ancient DNA unveils distinctive ancestries in the Bronze and Iron Ages of East Tianshan (2026)
- Ancient DNA unveils distinctive ancestries in the Bronze and Iron Ages of East Tianshan (2026)
- Genomic characterization of historical Jinlingnan individuals: insights into genetic continuity and trans-Eurasian signals in eastern China (2026)
- Go north: Isotope and aDNA analysis reconstructing the life history of a first-generation immigrant in the early Western Zhou Yan state (2026)
- A prehistoric East-Asian Yersinia pestis genome and a ~5.3 ka trans-Eurasian expansion of plague (2026)
- Genomic signatures of female exogamy and cultural interaction in a Tang Dynasty patrilineal clan (2026)
- Genetic continuity and dietary change during the emergence of millet farming in northern China (2026)
- Genetic continuity and dietary change during the emergence of millet farming in northern China (2026)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 2,865 from China.
Compare yourself with Yi
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Yi average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Yi and its neighbours. To find out which of our reports actually fits your DNA, run the free Report Finder: it runs the same fit test that every report uses before an order.
No G25 coordinates yet? Get a free simulated G25 from your raw DNA file, or order G25 coordinates.
About these numbers
A word of caution: these figures describe the average of the Yi individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Yi. Individuals vary around that average, and identity is about history, language and family, not about a genetic score. Read this page as a map of deep ancestry, not as a definition.
Method: averaged G25 coordinates, Euclidean distances to other modern and ancient averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations (data generated 2026-10-01). Read the full method.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Yi average. Your own DNA has its own story: Fenghuang – Sinosphere Report (15€) models your genome against the ancient sources and modern communities of the region, era by era, in a personal PDF report.
A report built for people of Sinosphere / East Asian ancestry: ancient regional core (Yellow & Yangtze River Neolithic, Erlitou/Shang/Zhou dynasties, Han Dynasty, Yayoi migration, Tang Dynasty, Manchu/Qing era) versus non-regional outside...
More populations from East Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Yi?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Yi average is about 89.2% East Asian, 7.5% Southeast Asian Neolithic farmers and 2.2% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Yi?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Yi average are Naxi, Bai and Tibetan (Xinlong). The closest ancient matches are Xinjiang HP Tang Dynasty-Uygur Period Lafuqueke (Sino-Tibetan Profile), China Henan LN Yangchao Baligang and China Henan MN Yangchao Baligang.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Yi?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Yi average and to its neighbours. If you have G25 coordinates, paste them in the comparison box on this page to check that for free.
Which ExploreYourDNA report suits Yi ancestry?
For the Yi average, the regional report to choose is Fenghuang – Sinosphere Report, which our fit test rates as a good match. Your own DNA may differ from the average, so the free Report Finder checks every report against your file before you buy.
Where does the data on this page come from?
From the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the sampled individuals: genetic distances to other modern and ancient population averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations. The full method is described at https://www.exploreyourdna.com/populations#method.