Dictionary of Variants of Chinese Personal Names

Author: Shang Hengyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: This book is a comprehensive reference tool for scholars and enthusiasts of history and literature to retrieve the various names of figures from ancient and modern times. It is divided into two volumes: the upper volume is the comprehensive volume, and the lower volume is the retrieval volume, which complement each other. The names of individuals listed in the book are generally their common names. Emperors of different dynasties are usually referred to by their posthumous titles or temple names; writers and artists are often known by their pen names, artistic names, or aliases. Individuals with the same name are arranged in chronological order, with separate descriptions for each. The book includes approximately 50,000 ancient and modern figures, with nearly 100,000 variant names. They are selected based on their significant influence in politics, economics, or military affairs; their achievements in philosophy, literature, history, geography, or science and technology; their artistic accomplishments in calligraphy, painting, seal carving, music, or theater; or their fame as craftsmen, farmers, merchants, doctors, hermits, or monks, all of which are well-documented in historical records. The book includes various types of variant names such as names, courtesy names, and sobriquets, as well as respectful or honorific titles based on official positions, regional affiliations, or place names, and numerous aliases signed by painters and calligraphers on their works, all carefully selected and included.