How did Han migration change the population of Hunan after the Han dynasty began?

Following the establishment of the Han dynasty (206 bce–220 ce), Hunan experienced significant demographic shifts due to persistent waves of Han migrants arriving from the north.

This migration fundamentally altered the region's population composition. As Han settlers occupied the land, the indigenous peoples—including the Miao, Tujia, Dong, and Yao (Mien)—were displaced, pushed westward and southwestward into the hills where they remain today.1

By the end of the Western Jin dynasty in 316/317 ce, the Xiang River valley and the Dongting floodplain had become relatively well-populated by these northern migrants. This trend of southward migration continued under subsequent dynasties, further cementing the Han presence in the region.1