Rice cultivation spread north 5,800 years ago

"Dating back to 7,000 to 6,000 years ago, the Guanzhong part of Shaanxi province enjoyed warm and humid weather with rich precipitation, an enabling condition for rice growing," Xu said.

"With a rise of the local population, ancient people in Dongyang relied much on the growth of rice," Xu said. "The newly-found evidence will shed light on the research of the origin and spread of rice."