The Hundred Family Surnames
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Summary
Editor's review
From an editorial perspective, the book's core value lies in its balance of scholarship and readability. Drawing on a solid grounding in literature and history, Jin Kaicheng organizes a vast body of surname records with clarity and order, avoiding the mere accumulation of lists common in similar books. Each surname is interpreted with an eye to uncovering its distinctive cultural genes and spiritual markers, so that while readers learn "where I come from," they also sense the family memory and collective identity that surnames carry.
The arrangement is thoughtful as well: rather than a simple dictionary-style listing, surnames are explained within a broader historical and cultural context. Reading thus becomes more than a search for ancestral roots—it is a deep tour of traditional Chinese social structure, the clan system, and the history of ethnic integration. For readers who wish to understand their own surname's origins or are interested in traditional Chinese culture and social history, this is a reliable primer and desk reference. Detailed yet never dull, plainly written yet well grounded, it popularizes knowledge while conveying a humanistic regard for honoring origins and remembering ancestors.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers tracing their own surname origins and family history
- Enthusiasts of literature and history seeking a systematic understanding of Chinese surname culture and traditional social structure
- Beginners and enthusiasts in folklore, sociology, or related fields
- Parents looking to bring traditional cultural knowledge into family education
Not a good fit for
- Professional researchers seeking rigorous academic verification or cutting-edge genetic genealogy findings
- Readers looking for light entertainment or novel-like narrative
Reading tips
- Use the book as a reference: read your own surname's chapter first, then expand to related or interesting surnames
- Consult historical maps of China while reading to visualize the time and space of surname migration and distribution
- Focus on cases of historical events and cultural exchange embedded in surname evolution, and appreciate surnames as dynamic cultural carriers
About the publisher
Jilin Literature and History Publishing House is a professional publisher specializing in literature, history, and social science titles, with publishing areas covering culture, theory, historical reading, military affairs, classical poetry, and medicine. Its list includes historical and military works such as National History 001: The Tragedy of the Southern Ming and Naval Battles 006: The Russian Navy before and after the Russo-Japanese War, as well as the "Chinese Culture Knowledge Reader" series, which covers Sun Tzu and military thought, ancient tea ware and Zisha art, Song Huizong Zhao Ji's contributions to painting, the Book of Songs, and Hai Rui. Medical works such as How a Famous Doctor Diagnoses Patients are also represented. Authors include Jin Kaicheng, Yang Liang, Zha Youyin, Luo Dalun, Zhiwen Fenghuo Studio, and Theodore Dodge. The press combines the popularization of literary and historical knowledge with focused research, forming a publishing profile centered on traditional culture readers and balancing academic and general reading.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 前言
- 第一章 中华姓氏的起源
- （一）姓的由来
- （二）氏的出现
- （三）姓氏合一
- 第二章 中华姓氏的类别、特色
- （二）姓氏特色
- 第三章 中华姓氏的郡望和堂号
- （二）姓氏的郡望
- （二）姓氏的堂号
- 第四章 中华百家姓
- （二）百家姓典故列举
FAQ
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About the author
Jin Kaicheng (1932–2008), a native of Wuxi, Jiangsu, was a professor and doctoral supervisor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University, as well as a renowned scholar and calligrapher; "Jin Kaicheng" as listed in the database is an alternative writing of his name. He devoted himself to the study of ancient Chinese literature, literary psychology, the Chu Ci, and calligraphic art, and was the author of An Introduction to Literary Psychology and A Study of Qu Yuan's Chu Ci, and chief editor of the Cultural Knowledge Reader of China series. The database contains 143 of his works, covering culture, classical poetry, medicine, biography, language and writing, and literary appreciation. Representative titles include Sun Tzu and the Military School, Song Huizong Zhao Ji's Contributions to Painting, The Ancient Poetry Anthology: The Book of Songs, Sun Simiao and the Thousand Ducat Prescriptions, Ancient Astronomy and Calendars, Sun Yat-sen and the Founding of the Chinese United League, Confucian Physicians of the Song Dynasty, and Ancient Glassware. These works chiefly popularize traditional Chinese cultural knowledge; their subjects are wide-ranging and their style plain and accessible, balancing scholarship with readability and playing a positive role in spreading knowledge of ancient culture.
