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Two distinct types of Chinese surnames existed in ancient China, namely xing (Chinese: 姓; pinyin: xìng) ancestral clan names and shi (Chinese: 氏; pinyin: shì) branch lineage names. Later, the two terms began to be used interchangeably, and in the present day, xing refers to the surname and shi may refer either the clan or maiden name.
The eight great surnames of Chinese antiquity were among the most important Chinese surnames in Chinese antiquity. [1] [2] They are all Chinese ancestral surnames [citation needed], and as such, have Chinese clan surnames branching off from them. [3] During the earliest Chinese antiquity, Chinese society focused on women.
[1] [2] Chinese symbols often have auspicious meanings associated to them, such as good fortune, happiness, and also represent what would be considered as human virtues, such as filial piety, loyalty, and wisdom, [1] and can even convey the desires or wishes of the Chinese people to experience the good things in life. [2]
The Twelve Ornaments (Chinese: 十二章; pinyin: Shí'èr zhāng) are a group of ancient Chinese symbols and designs that are considered highly auspicious. They were employed in the decoration of textile fabrics in ancient China, which signified authority and power, and were embroidered on vestments of state.
A Chinese compound surname is a Chinese surname using more than one character. Many of these compound surnames derive from Zhou dynasty Chinese noble and official titles, professions, place names and other areas, to serve a purpose. Some are originally from various tribes that lived in ancient China, while others were created by joining two one ...
Chinese names are personal names used by individuals from Greater China and other parts of the Sinophone world. Sometimes the same set of Chinese characters could be chosen as a Chinese name, a Hong Kong name, a Japanese name, a Korean name, a Malaysian Chinese name, or a Vietnamese name, but they would be spelled differently due to their varying historical pronunciation of Chinese characters.
Old Chinese, also called Archaic Chinese in older works, is the oldest attested stage of Chinese, and the ancestor of all modern varieties of Chinese. [a] The earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions on oracle bones from around 1250 BC, in the Late Shang period. Bronze inscriptions became plentiful during the following Zhou dynasty.
The character 巫 wu besides the meanings of "spirit medium, shaman, witch doctor" (etc.) also has served as a toponym: Wushan 巫山 (near Chongqing in Sichuan Province), Wuxi 巫溪 "Wu Stream", Wuxia 巫峽 "Wu Gorge". [10] Wu is also a surname (in antiquity, the name of legendary Wu Xian 巫咸).