| Abstract: |
Proponents of the mainland origin say archaeological evidence suggests Austronesian-speaking people lived on the mainland about 6500 years ago, before crossing the Taiwan Strait. They point to similarities in pottery from the two regions and cite a 2022 study of radiocarbon dates for ancient millet and rice from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, which suggested these crops spread from the mainland to northern Taiwan about 5000 years ago. They also note a 2014 study in which researchers sequenced genomes from two skeletons on the islet of Liangdao, near the coast of Fujian, and concluded they were part of a lineage present among modern Austronesian speakers. The article discusses the broader scientific evidence, and illustrates the use of archaeological and other evidence for political purposes.
|
