265:, these poems can vary in length from around a dozen characters to hundreds of characters. Each successive character becomes the generation name for successive generations. After the last character of the poem is reached, the poem is usually recycled, though occasionally it may be extended.
268:
Generation poems were usually composed by a committee of family elders whenever a new lineage was established through geographical emigration or social elevation. Thus families sharing a common generation poem are considered to also share a common ancestor and have originated from a common
394:
Generation names may be the first or second character in a given name, and normally this position is kept consistent for the associated lineage. However some lineages alternate its position from generation to generation. This is quite common for
406:
A related custom is the practice of naming two children from the characters of a common word. In
Chinese, most words are composed of two or more characters. For example, by taking apart the word
443:, the five most recent generations used the characters Wan, Yu, Zhang, Dian, and Hong. This practice is slowly fading since the government began keeping public records of genealogy.
369:
was "若夫，元德允克、令德宜崇、師古希孟、時順光宗、良友彥士、登汝必公、不惟世子、與善之從、伯仲叔季、承嗣由同。" The 42 characters were split into three groups of 14 for the offspring of Song Taizu and his two brothers.
934:'skillful, virtuous'). The characters demonstrated belonging to a devotionalist group with a social status close to the family one. The affiliation character Miào (
454:
has also adopted the
Chinese name system, albeit with extensions known as "sub-family-names" to indicate branches. Some groups have more recently (circa
894:
In place of a biological generation, the character could be used as an indicator of seniority and peer groups in religious lineages. Thus, in the lay
1114:
1135:
1407:
328:
so much that he honored their families with generation poems. These generation poems were extended with the permission of the
1233:
1206:
1176:
949:
In the same way, taking the monastic vows meant the break with the family lineage, which was shown by application of the
1416:
415:('healthy'), the Wang family might name one son Wáng Jiàn (王健) and the other Wáng Kāng (王康). Another example would be
1270:
1093:
1030:
249:
236:
136:
1438:
1448:
1111:
1132:
378:
1443:
1296:
170:
1013:
1373:
1366:
1324:
1262:
1332:
911:
1223:
1166:
1196:
150:
1393:
1077:
440:
8:
1401:
1255:
373:
341:
204:
1085:
85:
1397:
1346:
1266:
1229:
1202:
1172:
1089:
1067:
943:
424:('beautiful'). Daughters of the Zhous might be named Zhōu Měi (周美) and Zhōu Lì (周丽).
400:
329:
1250:
1081:
950:
895:
36:
1420:
1192:
1139:
1118:
466:
The following is a fictional family to illustrate how generation names are used.
333:
317:
262:
231:
The sequence of generation names is typically prescribed and kept in record by a
208:
420:
411:
1072:
966:
297:
293:
1432:
1413:
383:
366:
309:
301:
1328:
455:
382:(帝係詩 'Poem of the Generations of the Imperial Family'), created by Emperor
363:
337:
313:
54:
962:
428:
396:
212:
903:
447:
432:
273:
215:
given name, and is so called because each member of a generation (i.e.
954:
935:
931:
923:
919:
915:
907:
899:
272:
Important examples are the generation poems of the descendants of the
141:
451:
321:
277:
1384:
938:'profound, marvelous') usually was used by women, relating them to
68:
993:
Some authors consider the Hui people to be a Han
Chinese subgroup.
1151:
939:
325:
285:
281:
216:
82:
1248:
1198:
Branches of Heaven: A History of the
Imperial Clan of Sung China
458:) adopted the generation name system with little modification.
289:
220:
108:
1299:[Chinese surname and generation names in Yao people].
958:
927:
122:
90:
16:
Chinese practice of siblings' names sharing a common syllable
1261:(illustrated ed.). University of Hawaii Press. p.
435:
have also widely employed generation names, which they call
1257:
China off center: mapping the margins of the middle kingdom
305:
1004:
155:
73:
1012:论字排辈, an alternate term for 字辈. Not to be confused with
1374:
The naming custom in traditional
Chinese family culture
59:
1408:
generation poem of the descendants of Huang
Qiaoshan
203:
in Korea) is one of the characters in a traditional
1367:
Generation Names in China: Past, Present and Future
1254:
1225:The New and the Multiple: Sung Senses of the Past
898:circles of Song and Yuan times, it could be Dào (
1430:
1414:Ten generation poems of the Cantonese Lee family
261:) specific to each lineage. While it may have a
1301:China Folklore Network / China Folklore Society
1112:孔姓 (The Kong family, descendants of Confucius)
399:. Sometimes lineages will also share the same
256:
243:
223:of the same generation) share that character.
41:
1385:generation poems of the Ming dynasty princes
1133:孟姓 (The Meng family, descendants of Mencius)
127:
113:
1320:
1318:
1228:. Chinese University Press. pp. 357–.
1029:('teeming, filled') in Sanskrit, as in the
1185:
1158:
1070:(1959). "IV: From the starving village".
1315:
1201:. Harvard Univ Asia Center. p. 25.
1066:
889:
1400:and representing the continuity of the
1191:
1164:
372:Another notable generation poem is the
1431:
1340:
1334:A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms
1215:
340:, and the Ministry of Interior of the
881:
879:
864:
862:
847:
845:
830:
828:
826:
798:
796:
794:
792:
766:
764:
762:
739:
737:
722:
705:
703:
688:
658:
656:
638:
636:
634:
616:
169:For the social sciences concept, see
1221:
13:
1294:
1222:Lee, Thomas H. C. (January 2004).
226:
14:
1460:
1360:
974:
918:'complete, all-embracing'), Pǔ (
362:The generation poem used by the
1288:
1242:
1036:
1019:
91:
74:
1379:Examples of generation poems:
1351:Digital Dictionary of Buddhism
1144:
1123:
1102:
1060:
1008:], possible corruption of
996:
987:
419:
253:
240:
60:
42:
1:
1053:
308:families (the Four Families,
946:(妙善) was her name at birth.
403:in the non-generation name.
7:
389:
257:
244:
156:
142:
10:
1465:
1117:September 3, 2011, at the
461:
168:
1138:January 16, 2006, at the
965:, the first character of
930:, enlightenment'), Shàn (
871:
854:
837:
820:
818:
816:
810:
808:
806:
790:
786:
784:
782:
776:
774:
772:
746:
729:
720:
712:
695:
682:
680:
678:
670:
668:
666:
654:
650:
644:
632:
628:
622:
477:
474:
471:
410:
332:of the Ming dynasty, the
171:List of named generations
163:
149:
135:
128:
121:
114:
107:
102:
98:
81:
67:
53:
49:
35:
30:
26:
21:
980:
439:; for instance, in the
1396:, used by monks at the
1325:William Edward Soothill
1295:YU, Xiao (2011-08-10).
1165:梁永樂、趙公梃 (1 July 2014).
1042:普 is the equivalent of
977:'Sage of the Śakyas').
269:geographical location.
1031:Complete Enlightenment
360:
157:tollimcha, hangnyŏlcha
1171:. 明窗. pp. 107–.
969:'s title in Chinese:
961:in Vietnam) in one's
890:Affiliation character
431:majority, the Muslim
346:
143:dollimja, hangnyeolja
1394:Shaolin lineage poem
973:(釋迦牟尼, 'Śākyamuni',
137:Revised Romanization
1439:Chinese given names
1402:Dharma transmission
922:'universal'), Jué (
92:chū-pòe or pan-chhù
1449:Korean given names
1419:2010-10-07 at the
1249:Susan Debra Blum;
1078:Fawcett Crest Book
1068:Michener, James A.
914:, wisdom'), Yuán (
433:Hui Chinese people
342:Beiyang government
1398:Shaolin Monastery
1347:A. Charles Muller
1235:978-962-996-096-4
1208:978-0-674-08049-2
1178:978-988-8287-38-3
1033:(Pūrṇabuddha 圓覺).
1025:圓 corresponds to
887:
886:
612:
611:
545:Mother's sibling
511:Father's sibling
330:Chongzhen Emperor
263:mnemonic function
167:
166:
151:McCune–Reischauer
1456:
1444:Vietnamese names
1425:
1389:
1354:
1344:
1338:
1322:
1313:
1312:
1310:
1308:
1292:
1286:
1285:
1280:
1279:
1260:
1251:Lionel M. Jensen
1246:
1240:
1239:
1219:
1213:
1212:
1189:
1183:
1182:
1162:
1156:
1155:
1148:
1142:
1131:
1127:
1121:
1110:
1106:
1100:
1099:
1082:Ballantine Books
1064:
1047:
1040:
1034:
1023:
1017:
1000:
994:
991:
976:
951:Buddhist surname
877:
860:
843:
752:
735:
718:
701:
614:
613:
486:Generation name
469:
468:
423:
414:
260:
255:
247:
242:
159:
145:
131:
130:
117:
116:
94:
93:
77:
76:
63:
62:
45:
44:
19:
18:
1464:
1463:
1459:
1458:
1457:
1455:
1454:
1453:
1429:
1428:
1423:
1421:Wayback Machine
1410:(871–953)
1387:
1363:
1358:
1357:
1345:
1341:
1323:
1316:
1306:
1304:
1293:
1289:
1283:ma surname hui.
1277:
1275:
1273:
1247:
1243:
1236:
1220:
1216:
1209:
1193:Chaffee, John W
1190:
1186:
1179:
1163:
1159:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1140:Wayback Machine
1129:
1128:
1124:
1119:Wayback Machine
1108:
1107:
1103:
1096:
1065:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1050:
1041:
1037:
1024:
1020:
1001:
997:
992:
988:
983:
892:
870:
853:
836:
745:
728:
711:
694:
464:
392:
359:
356:
354:
352:
350:
334:Tongzhi Emperor
318:Emperor Jianwen
233:generation poem
229:
227:Generation poem
199:in Vietnamese;
177:Generation name
174:
22:Generation name
17:
12:
11:
5:
1462:
1452:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1427:
1426:
1411:
1404:
1390:
1377:
1376:
1370:
1369:
1362:
1361:External links
1359:
1356:
1355:
1339:
1314:
1297:"瑶族的汉式姓氏和字辈制度"
1287:
1271:
1241:
1234:
1214:
1207:
1184:
1177:
1168:八爪魚家長──孩子愛玩不是罪
1157:
1143:
1122:
1101:
1094:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1049:
1048:
1035:
1018:
995:
985:
984:
982:
979:
967:Gautama Buddha
891:
888:
885:
883:
882:
880:
878:
863:
861:
846:
844:
829:
827:
824:
823:
821:
819:
817:
815:
813:
811:
809:
807:
805:
803:
800:
799:
797:
795:
793:
791:
789:
787:
785:
783:
781:
779:
777:
775:
773:
771:
769:
767:
765:
763:
760:
759:
757:
754:
753:
738:
736:
721:
719:
704:
702:
686:
685:
683:
681:
679:
677:
675:
673:
671:
669:
667:
665:
663:
660:
659:
657:
655:
653:
651:
649:
647:
645:
643:
641:
639:
637:
635:
633:
631:
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
619:
617:
610:
609:
606:
603:
600:
597:
593:
592:
589:
586:
583:
580:
576:
575:
572:
569:
566:
563:
559:
558:
555:
552:
549:
546:
542:
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
525:
524:
521:
518:
515:
512:
508:
507:
504:
501:
498:
495:
491:
490:
487:
484:
480:
479:
476:
473:
472:Family member
463:
460:
391:
388:
374:Nguyễn dynasty
347:
312:). During the
228:
225:
165:
164:
161:
160:
153:
147:
146:
139:
133:
132:
125:
119:
118:
111:
105:
104:
100:
99:
96:
95:
88:
79:
78:
71:
65:
64:
61:zìbèi or bāncì
57:
51:
50:
47:
46:
39:
33:
32:
28:
27:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1461:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1436:
1434:
1422:
1418:
1415:
1412:
1409:
1405:
1403:
1399:
1395:
1391:
1386:
1382:
1381:
1380:
1375:
1372:
1371:
1368:
1365:
1364:
1352:
1348:
1343:
1336:
1335:
1330:
1326:
1321:
1319:
1302:
1298:
1291:
1284:
1274:
1272:0-8248-2577-2
1268:
1264:
1259:
1258:
1252:
1245:
1237:
1231:
1227:
1226:
1218:
1210:
1204:
1200:
1199:
1194:
1188:
1180:
1174:
1170:
1169:
1161:
1153:
1147:
1141:
1137:
1134:
1126:
1120:
1116:
1113:
1105:
1097:
1095:0-449-21335-8
1091:
1087:
1083:
1079:
1075:
1074:
1069:
1063:
1059:
1045:
1039:
1032:
1028:
1022:
1015:
1011:
1007:
1006:
999:
990:
986:
978:
972:
968:
964:
960:
956:
952:
947:
945:
941:
937:
933:
929:
925:
921:
917:
913:
909:
905:
901:
897:
884:
875:
868:
858:
851:
841:
834:
825:
822:
814:
812:
804:
802:
801:
788:
780:
778:
770:
768:
761:
758:
756:
755:
750:
743:
733:
726:
716:
709:
699:
692:
687:
684:
676:
674:
672:
664:
662:
661:
652:
648:
646:
642:
640:
630:
626:
624:
620:
618:
615:
607:
604:
601:
598:
595:
594:
590:
587:
584:
581:
579:Second child
578:
577:
573:
570:
567:
564:
561:
560:
556:
553:
550:
547:
544:
543:
539:
536:
533:
530:
527:
526:
522:
519:
516:
513:
510:
509:
505:
502:
499:
496:
493:
492:
488:
485:
482:
481:
475:Chinese form
470:
467:
459:
457:
453:
449:
444:
442:
438:
434:
430:
425:
422:
418:
413:
409:
404:
402:
398:
387:
385:
381:
380:
375:
370:
368:
367:House of Zhao
365:
358:
357:裕文煥景瑞，永錫世緒昌。
345:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
270:
266:
264:
259:
251:
246:
238:
234:
224:
222:
219:and paternal
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
172:
162:
158:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
138:
134:
126:
124:
120:
112:
110:
106:
101:
97:
89:
87:
84:
80:
72:
70:
66:
58:
56:
52:
48:
40:
38:
34:
29:
25:
20:
1424:(in Chinese)
1388:(in Chinese)
1378:
1350:
1342:
1333:
1329:Lewis Hodous
1305:. Retrieved
1303:(in Chinese)
1300:
1290:
1282:
1276:. Retrieved
1256:
1244:
1224:
1217:
1197:
1187:
1167:
1160:
1152:"浙江趙建飛_新浪博客"
1146:
1130:(in Chinese)
1125:
1109:(in Chinese)
1104:
1080:. New York:
1071:
1062:
1046:in Sanskrit.
1043:
1038:
1026:
1021:
1010:lùnzì páibèi
1009:
1003:
998:
989:
970:
948:
893:
873:
866:
856:
849:
839:
832:
748:
741:
731:
724:
714:
707:
697:
690:
596:Third child
562:First child
557:Wang Desong
483:Family name
465:
456:Song Dynasty
445:
437:lunzi paibie
436:
427:Besides the
426:
416:
407:
405:
397:Korean names
393:
377:
371:
364:Song dynasty
361:
355:建道敦安定，懋修肇彝常；
353:令德維垂佑，欽紹念顯揚；
351:興毓傳繼廣，昭憲慶繁祥；
349:希言公彥承，宏聞貞尚衍；
348:
338:Qing dynasty
314:Ming dynasty
271:
267:
232:
230:
200:
196:
192:
188:
187:in Chinese;
184:
180:
176:
175:
55:Hanyu Pinyin
31:Chinese name
1307:23 December
1084:. pp.
971:Shìjiāmóuní
963:Dharma name
608:Li Wenpeng
591:Li Wenfeng
574:Li Wenlong
540:Wang Demei
489:Given name
201:hangnyeolja
179:(variously
103:Korean name
1433:Categories
1278:2011-04-09
1054:References
1002: [
506:Li Yufeng
478:Full name
448:Yao people
320:respected
274:Four Sages
245:bāncì lián
209:Vietnamese
197:tên thế hệ
129:돌림字 or 行列字
115:돌림자 or 항렬자
906:'), Zhì (
523:Li Yuyan
452:Guangdong
441:Na family
408:jiàn-kāng
384:Minh Mạng
379:Đế hệ thi
322:Confucius
278:Confucius
75:baan1 ci3
1417:Archived
1331:, 1937,
1253:(2002).
1195:(1999).
1136:Archived
1115:Archived
944:Miàoshàn
896:Buddhist
390:Practice
258:pàizì gē
217:siblings
69:Jyutping
43:字輩 or 班次
940:Guanyin
528:Mother
494:Father
462:Example
401:radical
336:of the
326:Mencius
292:): the
286:Yan Hui
282:Mencius
250:Chinese
237:Chinese
221:cousins
205:Chinese
193:ban thứ
83:Hokkien
37:Chinese
1327:&
1269:
1232:
1205:
1175:
1092:
1086:480–85
1073:Hawaii
912:prajñā
904:dharma
417:měi-lì
304:, and
290:Zengzi
252::
239::
213:Korean
189:tự bối
109:Hangul
1044:viśva
1027:pūrṇa
981:Notes
959:Thích
953:Shì (
942:, as
928:bodhi
706:Wang
689:Wang
605:Peng
588:Feng
571:Long
554:Song
548:Wang
531:Wang
503:Feng
185:banci
181:zibei
123:Hanja
1406:The
1392:The
1383:The
1309:2022
1267:ISBN
1230:ISBN
1203:ISBN
1173:ISBN
1090:ISBN
1014:论资排辈
975:lit.
869:peng
852:feng
835:long
727:feng
693:song
602:Wen
585:Wen
568:Wen
537:Mei
520:Yan
446:The
324:and
306:Zeng
298:Meng
294:Kong
211:and
1263:121
1005:sic
867:Wen
865:Li
850:Wen
848:Li
833:Wen
831:Li
744:yan
740:Li
723:Li
710:mei
599:Li
582:Li
565:Li
551:De
534:De
517:Yu
514:Li
500:Yu
497:Li
450:of
429:Han
376:'s
316:,
302:Yan
254:派字歌
248:or
241:班次聯
195:or
183:or
86:POJ
1435::
1349:,
1317:^
1281:.
1265:.
1088:.
1076:.
957:,
742:Yu
725:Yu
708:De
691:De
421:美丽
412:健康
386:.
344:.
310:四氏
300:,
296:,
288:,
284:,
280:,
207:,
191:,
1353:.
1337:.
1311:.
1238:.
1211:.
1181:.
1154:.
1098:.
1016:.
955:釋
936:妙
932:善
926:'
924:覺
920:普
916:圓
910:'
908:智
902:'
900:道
876:鵬
874:文
872:李
859:鳳
857:文
855:李
842:龍
840:文
838:李
751:岩
749:裕
747:李
734:峰
732:裕
730:李
717:梅
715:德
713:王
700:松
698:德
696:王
276:(
235:(
173:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.