Old brand

Author: Wang Hong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Beijing is a renowned ancient capital in Chinese history. After the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties successively established their capitals here, Beijing became the political, cultural, and economic trade center of the northern region, the entire country, gathering the outstanding traditional culture of the Chinese nation. The rise and fall of time-honored businesses such as restaurants, food stores, silk and cloth shops, shoe and hat stores, tea houses, pharmacies, theaters, and bookstores in various business districts across the capital reflect, from one perspective, the development and evolution of traditional commercial culture in ancient Beijing, making them an important part of this historic and cultural city.
(1) The Origin of Commercial Names
A time-honored business, or "laozihao," is a well-known industrial or commercial enterprise that has undergone the test of time, possesses a long history, unique products, special business philosophy, high-quality service, good brand reputation, and has a significant influence in society. Commercial names are a common cultural phenomenon in commercial activities, but they did not originate from commerce. As a unique cultural phenomenon in China, commercial names have a long history in the country. According to historical records, commercial names appeared as early as the Western Zhou Dynasty. Initially, they were a way of addressing people. Personal names were distinguished by given names, courtesy names, and sobriquets. A given name was the only formal title given at birth by parents or other elders and was also known as an official name or a because it had to be registered in official household registers. Courtesy names and sobriquets, however, were given after a person reached adulthood. Although not formal titles, commercial names were widely used in ancient society and became a cultural custom. There were differences in naming and usage between courtesy names and sobriquets. According to the Book of Rites·Etiquette of the Upper Court, "When a man reaches the age of twenty, he is crowned and given a courtesy name." This means that in ancient China, men were required to undergo a coronation ceremony at the age of twenty (in the lunar calendar) to signify adulthood. During the ceremony, the father or other elders of the person being crowned would give him a courtesy name. Girls who were not yet married were called "" (awaiting marriage) in their chambers, and when they were betrothed at the age of fifteen (in the lunar calendar), they would undergo a similar ceremony called the ji ritual, another rite of adulthood. They would also be given a courtesy name. Therefore, in ancient China, having a courtesy name was also a sign of adulthood. The meanings of courtesy names and given names were often interrelated. For example, Zhuge Liang, courtesy name Kongming, had "liang" and "ming" with the same meaning; Yue Fei, courtesy name Pengju, had "fei" and "pengju" with similar meanings. Additionally, there were "generation names" within families, such as in the Confucian and Mencian families, which used one character to determine lineage.
A sobriquet, also known as a "biefu" (alternative name), was an alias given by ancient people, usually a respectful or complimentary title. Sobriquets were not just a form of address but often reflected a person's specific aspirations, intentions, emotions, cultivation, and pursuits, or even contained a certain sentiment. Compared to courtesy names, sobriquets were more emotional, expressive, and individualistic, often leaving one to ponder their deeper meaning. Lu You, self-named Fangweng, implied a disregard for rituals. Xin Qiji, self-named Jiaxuan, meant that one should diligently cultivate throughout life. Qiu Jin, sobriquet Jianhu Nüxia, highlighted the heroic spirit of a woman. Therefore, calling someone by their sobriquet was more respectful and polite than calling them by their courtesy name. There was also a category of "affectionate nicknames," "taunts," or "pet names," such as the "Leopard-Head" and "Wise Star" in Water Margin, which carried a sense of familiarity, humor, or jest. Commercial names contained specific meanings such as inheritance, expectation, and blessings, making them both elegant and fashionable. In ancient society, they were widely accepted and used by all social classes, becoming a common address for people besides their official names. Over time, the usage of commercial names expanded. The most representative example was the application of this naming system in commercial activities. With the emergence of a commodity economy, in the competition of goods, operators needed a distinctive identifier or signboard that was memorable, catchy, and could showcase the personality of the business and its products to expand the market. Such commercial names, which carried specific meanings like inheritance, blessings, and aspirations, along with promotional functions, gradually evolved from being a form of address for people to becoming indispensable names and brands for businesses, appearing on various signs and storefronts.