According to historical documents, surnames can be traced back to the matriarchal clan system in primitive human society. Surnames in China's early days were all in female characters or radicals, such as Ji's surname and Yao's surname. At that time, surnames were used as specific symbols to distinguish clans, such as the names of tribes or the names of tribal leaders. Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor lived on the bank of Jishui and took Ji as his surname. Living next door, taking Jiang as his surname.

Dayu was in charge of water conservancy, and the emperor made great contributions and gave his surname as the secretary. In addition, the son of a tribal leader can also have a surname. The Yellow Emperor had twenty-five sons, fourteen of whom were given surnames, namely Ji, You, Qi, Ji, Teng, Ren, Xun, Wei, Xian and Yi, and four of them belonged to the second surname. After Zhu Rong, he established eight surnames for himself, namely, Dong, Peng, Bald, Yi, Cao, Zhu and Mi, which was called Zhu Rong's eight surnames in history.

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The development history of Baijia surname

As early as 5,000 years ago, China had formed a surname, which gradually developed and passed down from generation to generation. Of these hundreds of surnames, 70% came from Yanshi, Luoyang.

"Surname" is a word in modern Chinese, but before Qin and Han Dynasties, surnames and surnames were obviously different. Surnames originated from matriarchal society, and the same surname indicates the blood relationship of the same matriarchal family. Most of China's earliest surnames came from the female side, such as Jiang, Yao, Yi, Gui and Ying. It shows that this is a clan group handed down by some different grandmothers.

The generation of surnames is the result of determining the blood relationship according to the paternal line, which is only possible when the paternal system is established. Therefore, when we read "Xuanyuan surname of Huangdi, Ji surname" and "Shanshi Lie, Jiang surname", we can understand that the Chinese nation originally belonged to two tribes, or a tribal alliance organized according to matriarchal blood relationship.

A surname Jiang and a surname Ji all have their own surnames to express their patriarchal clan leaders; Lieshan, Xuanyuan. The strict distinction between surnames and surnames and their simultaneous use shows that matriarchal system has given way to patriarchy, but the influence of matriarchal society still exists, which gradually disappeared after the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

Baidu Encyclopedia-History of Hundred Family Names

Baidu Encyclopedia-Hundred Family Names