Portuguese Macao
Nothing Is Simple About Chinese Surnames
Throughout the years, Chinese surnames were traditionally a royal privilege not permitted the common laborer or tradesman. As recently as 500 B. C., using a surname was an honor bestowed by the emperor or ruling nobles.
Rules regarding adopting a surname were stringent, bound by tradition, bureaucratic regulations and the privileges of birth. Back during the Warring States Period, around 500 B. C., only the emperor and privileged nobility could attach surnames (called “xing”) to their Chinese name. Additionally, sub-surnames (called “shi”) designated seniority and importance among the aristocracy.
The most commonly occurring Chinese family names today are written with a single Chinese character. Many double-character family names were simplified during the Cultural Revolution and by the Communist government, however about 20 have survived into modern times, including Sima, Zhuge and Situ. Even more rare are surnames with three characters or more, such as Aixinjueluo, which was the surname of the Qing dynasty’s Manchurian royal family.
Surnames were a matter of great pride and prestige — or deep shame. In elementary school as recently as 100 years ago, children would recite daily from a book called the “Hundred Family Name” so that they would know who they were, where they came from — and their status in society or their lack thereof. An old saying students recited was “Those with the same surname all around the world are from the same family.” Thus, anyone named Chan was believed to be related to everybody else named Chan.
In the 1980s, almost 500 distinct family names were in use in Beijing. Today, among the most commonplace are Li, Wang, Zhou, Zhang, Zhu and Zhao. Wang is shared by 9 percent of northern Chinese. Chen is prevalent in the former British enclave of Hong Kong, formerly Portuguese Macao and what was Japanese-occupied Formosa, today’s Taiwan. Li is commonplace along the Yangtze River’s major crossing points. Fong, which is only the 47th most commonplace on the mainland, is prevalent in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Surnames were also a matter of negotiation upon occasion. A nobleman from Taiwan, Chang Yuan-zih of the Liao family, wed the daughter of another nobleman, Liao San-Jiou-Lang, who lacked sons. As part of the marriage tradition agreement between the two prominent families, the groom agreed to be called Liao during his lifetime, but Chang after his death. The offspring from the marriage were to use the surname Liao Liao (and today are referred to as the “double Liaos.”)
After marriage, most Chinese women take their husband’s family name. However, just as elsewhere in the world, growing numbers of Chinese wives keep their birth surname.
Another problem faced with Chinese names is the way it is romanized. In China they are romanized using Pinyin but in other parts of the world is it free for all. There are many dialects and the same surname is pronounced and romanized in a number of ways. For example the surname Lin, can be written as Lim, Lam, Lum etc.The same goes for the popular Chinese name Mei meaning beautiful. It can be written as Meei, May, Bee etc.
“Did we accidentally go to Portugal?” Angela_louise’s photos around Macau, China (sunset macau)
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