Good Name Treasury

Author: Liu Bingliang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-28
Features: II. Surnames in the Slave Society (Five Emperors Legend - Western Zhou Period)
With the development of social production and the proliferation of the population, coupled with the continuous expansion of activity areas and the changing occupational identities, the original clans gradually split into several new clans. Subsequently, the matrilineal calculation of kinship gradually evolved into a patrilineal one. The Records of the Grand Historian·External Chronicles provides a very clear account: "A surname () unifies the origin of one's ancestors, while a clan name () distinguishes the lineage of one's descendants." Thus, a single surname branched into several sub-clans. This is what is known as a clan name. It is said that the Yellow Emperor had twenty-five sons who were divided into twelve surnames, namely Ji, Gu, You, Qi, Ji, Teng, Zhen, Xun, Ren, Xi, Xuan, and Yi. After these twelve surnames were scattered to various regions, they continued to evolve, giving rise to numerous clan names. For example, the Ji surname branched into 61 domains and 432 clan names; the Ji surname branched into 3 domains and 13 clan names; and the Ren surname branched into 10 domains and 13 clan names. Since a clan name was derived from a surname and was a branch of the surname, a product of the patriarchal society, it reflected certain ownership relationships. Therefore, the prevalent patrilineal clan systems of the time were universally referred to as "clan names." The leaders of these clans, who also represented the clans, were specifically designated with clan names. For instance, the Yellow Emperor was known as the Xuan clan, the Emperor Yan as the Leshan (or Lishan) clan, Yao as the Taotang clan, and Shun as the Youyu clan.
Before the Xia Dynasty, the clan society was geographically defined by tribes and (matrilineal) units. It was an (strictly) unified whole, where every member was subordinate to the chief of the tribe. Not only did the fruits of labor belong to the entire tribe, but the independent personal status of each clan member was also stripped away. Consequently, from an external perspective, the actual significance of members' names and surnames was negligible. A single clan with one surname and one clan name, represented by the clan head, was sufficient for identification. Moreover, the chiefs of the tribes at that time were hereditary, passing down from generation to generation. Naturally, only the members of the chief's lineage could bear surnames and clan names, while the rest of the members remained without surnames or clan names throughout generations.
According to some extant historical records, such as The Book of Documents·Zhou Discourses (Part II), when recording the remarks of the (Prince of Zhou Lingwang), it states that Yu the Great, for his merits in controlling floods and governing the people, was blessed by the "Heaven" () with the surname (Si) and the clan name (Youxia). It also records that the Four Great Mountains (), for their contributions to assisting Yu the Great, were granted the surname (Jiang) and the clan name (Youlu) by the "Heaven." The Prince of Zhou Lingwang further elaborates: "Only those who have meritorious deeds are granted surnames and clan names to receive sacrifices and recognition throughout the land. When they lose their achievements, corrupt and dissolute thoughts creep in, leading to the loss of their surnames and clan names, their downfall, and the extinction of their lineage." This passage clearly tells us: only meritorious tribal chiefs could be blessed by the "Heaven" to become emperors or feudal lords, and they would be granted surnames and clan names. However, when their descendants lost their political power and status, or were even exterminated or enslaved, their surnames and clan names would also be lost.
In The Book of Documents·Discourses of Jin (Part I), when recording the words of Shi Su (), it mentions: "Jie of Xia attacked Youshi, and the people of Youshi gave their sister Xihi (Xi Ji) to Jie." Wei Zhao (), a figure from the Three Kingdoms period,