Hundred Surnames

Author: Yu Yueheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The origin of Chinese surnames is quite complex, including those derived from states, fiefdom names, official titles, posthumous titles, and so on. Some surnames have multiple origins, and this book primarily adopts the "An Examination of the Hundred Surnames" for its research. Interpreting the "Hundred Surnames" is a rather painstaking task, as there are numerous commentaries available, which both inspire the author's interpretive thinking and modes but also impose certain constraints. Building upon the strengths of various sources, this book appends "Famous Quotes of the Surname" to some major surnames, while for minor surnames, it selects "Famous Stories of the Surname" or brief achievements. It is hoped that readers can become familiar with famous quotes and stories through surnames, and vice versa, gain insights into surnames through famous quotes and stories. Whether this approach is appropriate and effective remains to be tested by readers. It should be noted that the dharma names of some eminent monks are widely recognized, while their real names are rarely known. Therefore, their dharma names are used, such as Huairang and Huaisu. Additionally, for some extremely rare surnames, historical records lack entries of famous individuals, let alone famous quotes. Consequently, the "Famous Quotes of the Surname" or "Famous Stories of the Surname" for these surnames can only be temporarily omitted, leaving room for diligent readers to supplement them in the future.