Dictionary of Chinese Name Variants (Vol. 1 & 2) - Comprehensive Volume. Search Volume

Author: Shang Hengyuan, Sun Anbang, Editors
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: This book is a comprehensive reference tool for scholars and enthusiasts of history and literature, designed 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 listed in the book generally use 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. Figures with the same name are arranged in chronological order, with separate descriptions. The book includes approximately 50,000 ancient and modern figures and nearly 100,000 variant names. They are selected based on their significant influence in politics, economics, or military affairs; their achievements in fields such as philosophy, literature, history, geography, and science and technology; their artistic accomplishments in calligraphy, painting, seal carving, music, or opera; or their fame as craftsmen, farmers, merchants, doctors, hermits, or Buddhist/Daoist figures, all supported by documented evidence. The book includes various types of variant names such as names, courtesy names, and aliases, as well as respectful or honorable 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.