Chinese Naming Culture

《大中国上下五千年》编委会Foreign Languages Press2010

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Word count
180K words
Chapters
10
Series
Great China Through Five Thousand Years
ISBN
9787119065588

Tags

Society and Culture Culture Five ElementsOnomasticsEveryday LifeChinese Traditional CultureTraditional CultureSurname CultureSurname OriginsFolklore

Summary

Chinese Naming Culture is one volume in the Foreign Languages Press series "Great China Through Five Thousand Years" (14 volumes in total), published in October 2010. The book is about 180,000 Chinese characters and 245 pages, fully illustrated in color, with Xu Mingyue and Shang Luncong as editors of this volume and the series editorial committee as compilers. The book begins with surnames, tracing the origins of "xing" (clan name) and "ming" (given name), the emergence of "shi" (lineage name) and the differentiation of xing, and the ordering of the Hundred Family Surnames, then reviews the ancient customs of choosing "zi" (courtesy name) and "hao" (style name), naming rituals, and the psychological suggestive effect of a good name. In the section on principles, the book introduces traditional naming approaches such as the zodiac animal, birth date and eight characters, the mutual generation and deficiency remedy of the five elements, the images and numbers and eight trigrams of the Book of Changes, and the clever use of classical allusions. In the section on methods, it summarizes folk naming customs such as male and female names, humble names and childhood names, birthplace, birth order, embedded characters, declaring aspirations, emulating admired figures, celestial phenomena, and dream omens, as well as the reasons for changing names, principles, and techniques such as expressing aspiration, homophony, and adding or removing characters. The book also specifically lists various taboos in naming characters, such as blindly pursuing foreign styles, vulgarity and bluntness, rare and complicated characters, and unseemly homophones, and extends its perspective to the business field, explaining the principles, character methods, and industry differences in naming enterprises and product brands. Through accessible narration and numerous illustrations, the book places naming—a small matter of daily life—back into the context of surname origins, rituals and beliefs, and Chinese linguistic aesthetics.

Editor's review

取名是每个家庭几乎都要面对的一次“小考试”，可真正谈取名谈得既有来路又有门道的通俗读物并不多。这本书的好处，是把“取名字”这件事放回它原本生长的土壤里：先讲姓氏的由来与《百家姓》的排序，再讲古人的名、字、号如何分工，然后才谈生男生女、乳名贱名、生辰属相、五行八卦这些民间习俗。读者会发现，生肖取名、八字取名并非凭空冒出来的神秘口诀，它们是传统家族礼俗与命理观念相互交织的产物。 更实用的是后面几章。第五章几乎是把“取名容易踩的坑”一条条摊开：盲目求洋、肤浅直白、生僻字、多音字、谐音不雅、搭配混乱……每一条都配着容易理解的说明，对于要给孩子起名的父母、要给自己改名的年轻人来说，相当有参考价值。最后三章把视野转向商业，从企业名称到品牌命名再到各行业用名，讲名实相合、易读易记、字义和谐，对开小店、做产品的人来说也多一份思路。 需要提醒的是，书中涉及五行、八卦、八字的部分属于传统民俗与命理观念，宜当作文化知识来读，不必当作决定人生的公式。全书图文并排，16开本，适合随手翻看，也适合当作查考的案头小册。

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Reading tips

  1. 可先读第一章搞清姓、氏、名、字、号的区别，再进入取名方法与禁忌，脉络会更清楚。
  2. 读生肖、五行、八字部分时，把这类说法看作民俗文化的产物，理性看待，不必照单全收。
  3. 准备起名时，不妨把第五章列出的禁忌做成一张自查表，逐条核对候选名字的读音与谐音。
  4. 书中引用的李白、岳飞、林则徐等取名典故，可配合人物传记或史料对照阅读，理解会更立体。

About the publisher

Foreign Languages Press China · Founded in 1952

Foreign Languages Press, founded in 1952, focuses on publishing works by Chinese leaders, Party and government documents, and government white papers in multiple languages, while also covering literature, social culture, and finance. Representative titles include Stray Birds and The Crescent Moon, Xi Jinping's speeches at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and at the BRICS Xiamen Summit, Understanding China's Poverty Alleviation, Open China: New Patterns in the New Era, and Factory Girls. Its author resources include Rabindranath Tagore, Zheng Zhenduo, Xi Jinping, Ding Yan, and Zheng Yongnian. The press is characterized by translating Chinese political documents and cultural classics for overseas readers in multiple languages, alongside introducing and exporting literary and academic works. Its catalog centers on inspirational growth, politics, social culture, finance, and literature. Public information is limited; this profile emphasizes the publishing directions reflected in the available catalog.

Contents

  1. Preface
  2. Tracing Origins Through Surnames—An Overview of Surname Culture: The Origins and Significance of Surnames and Given Names / Where Surnames Came From / How Clan Names Arose / Surnames Split from Clan Names and Later Unified / Sources of Surnames Under the Patrilineal Family System / The Hundred Family Surnames and Its Ordering / The Historical Course of Given-Name Customs / The Ancient Practice of Choosing a Courtesy Name / The Vigorous Vitality of the "Hao" / Features of Adopting and Bestowing Hao / Meaning-Rich Naming Customs / Distinctive Naming Rites and Customs / The Psychological Suggestive Power of a Good Name / The Subtle Influence of a Name
  3. Traditional Culture in Practice—Principles of Naming: The Relationship Between Zodiac Signs and Names / Naming for the Rat, Ox, and Tiger / Naming for the Rabbit, Dragon, and Snake / Naming for the Horse, Goat, and Monkey / Naming for the Rooster, Dog, and Pig / Naming by "Image" and "Number" in the I Ching / Naming by the Eight Trigrams of the Zhouyi / Naming by Birth Date and Eight Characters / Naming by the Mutual Generation of the Five Elements / Remedying Deficiencies in the Five Elements / Clever Use of Allusions in Naming
  4. How Much Do You Know About Naming Methods—Folk Naming Customs: Customs for Naming Boys / Customs for Naming Girls / The Folk Custom of Giving Lowly Names / The Custom of Giving Children Milk Names / How to Create Novel and Distinctive Names / How to Express a Name's Individual Character / How to Make a Name Convey a Fine Image / Names Related to Birth / Naming After Birthplace or Ancestral Home / Naming by Birth Order / The Embedded-Character Method / Naming by Elders' Wishes / Naming by Declaring Aspirations and by Admiration / The Three-Image Combination Method and the Innovation Method / The "Celestial Phenomena" Method and the Dream Omen Method
  5. How Much Do You Know About Renaming—Principles and Techniques: Reasons for Changing a Name / Precautions and Principles for Renaming / Renaming by Declaring Aspirations and by Yearning / Renaming by Intention and by Asserting Individuality / Renaming with Poetry and by Requesting a Bestowed Name / Renaming by Adding or Removing Characters and by Homophony
  6. Some Names Should Not Be Chosen—Taboos in Naming: Avoid Rash Thinking and Outdated Ideas / Avoid "Self-Praise" or "Self-Deprecation" / Avoid Blind Westernization and Blind Conformity / Avoid Shallowness and Vulgarity; Avoid Excessive Directness / Avoid Rare Characters and Overly Complex Characters / Use Polyphonic Characters with Caution; Avoid "Assembled" Characters / Avoid Unpleasant Homophones and Awkward Obscurity / Avoid Words of Physical Defect and Words of Negativity and Dejection
  7. Nothing Can Be Done Without Rules—Principles of Business Naming: Principles of Naming Based on the Learnability of Chinese Characters / Principles of Naming Based on Chinese Aesthetics / What Kind of Name Counts as Good / Principles of Naming by Yin-Yang and the Five Elements / The Ancient Principles of Naming by Image and Number / Principles of CI Naming / Principles for Naming Enterprises and Products / Naming by Auspicious Language and by Combining Names with Auspicious Words / Naming with Elegant Words, Folk Sayings, and Homophones / Naming by the Implicit Method and the Self-Laudatory Method / Naming by the Logo Method, the Alias Method, and the Brand Method
  8. There Is Learning in Enterprise Naming—Naming Enterprises: Name and Reality in Accord, Truly Deserving the Name / Easy to Read and Recite, Easy to Hear and Remember / Transcending the Common, Flexible and Varied / Harmonious Meaning, Proper Collocation / Attention to Rhythm, Rich in Beauty / Drawing on Personal and Place Names / Marking One's Own Characteristics / Catering to Customers' Preferences
  9. A Good Product Needs a Good Name—Brand Naming Techniques: Reflecting Positive and Correct Values / Implying a Profound Cultural Background / Concise and Easy to Remember and Spread / Highlighting Product Personality / Emphasizing Features and Reasonably Setting the Brand Tone / Naming by the Regional Method, the Spatiotemporal Method, the Target Method, and the Personal-Name Method / Avoid Rare Pronunciations and Obscure Meanings / Avoid the Craze for Things Foreign and Blind Conformity
  10. Different Industries, Different Names—Methods of Commercial Naming: Shop Naming / Digital Product Naming / Home Appliance Naming / Automobile Naming / Real Estate Naming / Online Brand Naming / Food Naming / Tea Industry Naming / Pharmaceutical Naming / Apparel Industry Naming / Cultural Goods Naming / Sporting Goods Naming / Tourism Naming

FAQ

这本书是讲姓名学还是讲文化史？ 两者兼有。前半部分讲姓氏源流、名与字号的演变、取名礼俗，属于文化史与民俗；后半部分讲生肖、八字、五行、典故等取名思路与方法禁忌，接近通俗姓名学，最后还延伸到企业品牌命名。
书里的五行八字内容可靠吗？ 书中这部分介绍的是流传已久的民间观念与操作路数，属于传统民俗知识，并非现代科学结论。阅读时宜作文化了解，不宜据此做重大人生抉择。
这本书适合用来给孩子取名吗？ 参考价值较高，尤其第五章“取名用字禁忌”和民间取名方法，对音律、谐音、生僻字、搭配都有提醒。但书中没有现成的名字库，需要读者结合自家姓氏自行斟酌。
版本信息如何核实？ 该书由外文出版社2010年10月出版，ISBN 978-7-119-06558-8，245页，约180千字，定价23.80元，属“大中国上下五千年”丛书（全14册），丛书主编为何跃青，本册主编为徐明月、尚论聪。
和《中国民俗文化大观》是什么关系？ 两书同属“大中国上下五千年”丛书，均由外文出版社于2010年出版、装帧版式相近。《中国民俗文化大观》是民俗通览，取名文化只是其中一个专题；本书则是把取名这一专题单独展开成册。

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About the author

《大中国上下五千年》编委会 Author

The Editorial Board of "Five Thousand Years of Greater China" is a collective authorship name, and publicly available information about it is limited; its specific members and founding background have not been clearly recorded. According to the available library data, the board has only one work, Chinese Naming Culture, categorized under social culture, which indicates that its editorial focus is on the popularization of traditional Chinese culture and folk knowledge. The title "Five Thousand Years of Greater China" suggests that the board may organize content from a broad, general-history cultural perspective, introducing topics in traditional culture to ordinary readers in an accessible and clearly structured way. Chinese Naming Culture deals with the origins of names, naming customs, and cultural connotations, and is an informative work in the field of social culture. As the author is a collective rather than an individual, readers' understanding of it depends mainly on the topics and style of the books it compiles rather than on any personal biography.