The origin of genealogy
Our Chinese nation is a nation that pays attention to history. On the one hand, the long history has created our historical psychology and cultivated our historical feelings, so that we often can't help wandering in the long river of history to feel and taste history; On the other hand, the voluminous historical records often give us lessons and warnings, so that we can grasp the law from historical facts and guide today's life. In tens of millions of historical books, the official history compiled by historians records the rise and fall of a dynasty; Local chronicles, compiled by local masters, record the evolution of a region; Genealogy is compiled to record the migration and development of a family.
A genealogy, from the rise, reproduction, distribution and migration of this family to the ancient sages, family rules and family precepts, ancestral temples and poetry works of this family, has been running for hundreds of years, with thousands of people. It is rich in content, contains many things, fully reflects the relationship between various aspects, and has great literature value.
Genealogy has always had the functions of "recording ancestors and carrying forward family history" and "uniting clansmen and blood relatives". Since the reform and opening up, with the rapid development of China's economy, its economic strength and comprehensive national strength have been further enhanced, and China's international status has been increasingly improved, which has greatly enhanced the centripetal force of overseas Chinese. Since the mid-1980s, overseas Chinese have been searching for roots and ancestors. Many compatriots from Taiwan Province Province, Hong Kong, Macao and overseas Chinese returned to their hometowns to look for the remains of their ancestors and meet their relatives in their hometowns. A genealogy often makes them cry and excited, because they can recognize their ancestors. Many overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and industrialists have generously invested in their hometown, contributing to the economic development of their hometown and the economic construction of the motherland. Genealogy has become a link between Chinese at home and abroad and a bridge to increase the cohesion of our Chinese nation.
So, what kind of history book is genealogy? What is its definition? What is its historical development?
Genealogy, also known as genealogy, genealogy, genealogy, genealogy, genealogy and so on. , is a book that records the deeds of family migration and development, genealogy and biography of family figures, and is a family life history compiled in a special form.
A relatively complete genealogy usually consists of the following parts: genealogical name, genealogical sequence, generic example, surname origin, genealogical examination, genealogical table, biography, ancestral temple, tomb, family rules and family instructions, honor and disgrace records, praise, literary works, compilation name and genealogical name.
There have always been several opinions about the origin of China's genealogy: one is from the Zhou Dynasty, the other is from the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties, the other is from the Song Dynasty, and the other is from the oral genealogy and knotted genealogy of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, Jinwen and even before the Zhou Dynasty. According to the records of documents of past dynasties and the textual research of Oracle Bone Inscriptions unearthed from Yin Ruins in this century, we believe that it is credible that China's genealogy originated in Shang and Zhou Dynasties.
Among the existing ancient books in China, Historical Records of Sima Qian in Hanshu is the most complete and authoritative record about the pre-Zhou lineage. The following articles are specially recorded and highlighted in Historical Records:
1. Biography of Five Emperors. This paper records the lineages of Huangdi, Zhuan Xu, Di Ku and Yaoshun. Because "the five emperors share the same clan", this article actually records the lineage of Gongsun's Xuanyuan.
2. Xia Benji. This paper records the lineages of emperors in Xia Dynasty, such as Yu Ziqi, Qi Zikai Taikang, Zhong Kang and other five sons, Zhong Kang, Xiangzi Shaokang, ... He asked his son to follow his honor.
3. Yin Benji. This paper records the lineage of Zi family/Yin Qi, who was born because his mother Zhu Di swallowed a bird's egg and took Zi as her surname. Yin Qizi, Zhao Ming, Zhao Mingzi, Xiangtu, Xiangtu, Chang Ruozi and Yu Cao ... The owner of Nuo Nuo's son is the master of decyl, and the master of decyl Tianyi is the foundation of Shang Dynasty. Chengtangzi Taiding, Waibing, Renzhong, Taixiangzi Taijia ... Ziyi Wei Qiqi, Xin Yi.
4. Zhou Benji. This paper systematically traces the lineage of Zhou Wuwang, the son of wang qian, the founder of the Zhou Dynasty. His ancestors were the mother of Jiang Nvyuan: Jiang Nvyuan abandoned her son, abandoned her son without a hole, Qu Zi had no hole, and Qu Zi was the sixth son ... In the calendar, the son was the king of Wen and the prince was the king of Wu.
5. Chu family. This paper traces the lineage of Mi surname, and holds that Mi surname is the descendant of Huangdi, Mi surname is Zhuan Xu, and the descendant of Zhuan Xu is Li He ... Ji Lianzi became attached to Dong Xiong, and later generations came to Zhou Wenwang.
In addition, Historical Records of the Three Dynasties also recorded the lineages of the Five Emperors and Xia and Shang Dynasties in the form of tables.
Genealogy, as the origin stage of China's genealogy, is naturally quite brief. Generally, only the names of lineages are recorded, and almost nothing about lineages is involved. Sima Qian called it "the genealogy records the world, and its words are concise." In addition, genealogy only records the lineage of paternal brothers, but not wives, children and sisters, which fully reflects that paternal line has occupied an absolute dominant position in China society at this time. But by the Zhou Dynasty, these bamboo slips had become the symbol of patriarchal clan system, which was used to "lay the foundation for the world and distinguish admiration" and record the kinship and filial piety, and their political functions had begun to appear. The Zhou Dynasty also established a fairly perfect system of compiling genealogy by historians, and set up special officials in the imperial court to record and manage the genealogy of all the nobles in the country, which was also the beginning of compiling genealogy by Chinese officials.
In addition to the official genealogy, a relatively mature private genealogy has appeared in the Han Dynasty. There are three forms of private genealogy in Han Dynasty. The first is the self-sorting symbol. This kind of genealogy is generally described by the author himself, and also recorded according to the owner's self-report. The second kind is specialized genealogy, which is different from custom genealogy. Some of this genealogy is contained in official biographies, and it is a pure narrative text; There is also an "official spectrum" that specifically records one's official position. The third is the genealogy carved on stone tablets, that is, the genealogy preserved on stone tablets, such as Sanlao tablet, Sun Shuai tablet, Xian Yu Huang Bei tablet and Zhao Kuan tablet.
Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, it was a period when the system of gate valve and Nine Grades were in full swing, and it was also a period when China's genealogy flourished. Genealogy became a special political tool in this period and a talisman for powerful families to safeguard their privileges and interests. Genealogy has made great progress in this period.
During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, China's genealogy entered the stage of sustainable development, which can be said to be the second peak after Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. Although the family system in this period gradually disintegrated with the establishment and implementation of the imperial examination, the advocacy of the rulers and the prevalence of official genealogy made China's genealogy show some new features in this period, the most obvious of which was official genealogy.
The Song Dynasty is the transition period of China's genealogy. Its characteristics are as follows: First, due to the decline of the gate valve and the mixing of scholars and ordinary people, the situation of "the official has a book shape and the family has a pedigree" has been completely broken, and the political and social functions of the pedigree have been exhausted. Instead, it is the educational function of "respecting the Sect and accepting the Sect" and "respecting the relatives". Secondly, with the emergence of the educational function of "respecting ancestors and collecting clans", private music editing flourished in the Song Dynasty. Thirdly, in view of the social reality at that time, the rulers of the Song Dynasty strongly advocated private genealogy, believing that genealogy could make the broad masses of people "get together with flesh and blood to bind their bodies and minds", which was conducive to maintaining social stability and consolidating feudal rule. This is also an important objective reason for the prevalence of private genealogy in Song Dynasty.
The Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties are the gradual maturity of China's genealogy. Especially in the Qing Dynasty, the revision of musical scores became one of the most important and grand activities in clan life. Some clans are revised once every 30 years, and some are revised once every 60 years. As a result, a large number of privately revised genealogies have appeared, accounting for more than 70% of the existing genealogies.
During the modern Republic of China, the wind of arranging music was still very popular. The development of genealogy has also developed from a simple genealogical record to an accurate and informative compilation of family historical materials, from a few words to hundreds of thousands of books, and finally it has become a historical material comparable to official history and local chronicles, embedding a dazzling pearl in the treasure house of China traditional culture.
Types of genealogy
After thousands of years of development, China genealogy has various names and varieties.
According to the different records of genealogy, we divide genealogy into the following categories:
1.knotting genealogy is tied with a rope to record the lineage and record the situation of each member of the family.
Oral genealogy is a genealogy handed down orally. This is also a form for people to record genealogy before writing or when there are no national characters.
3. Oracle Bone Inscriptions refers to the genealogy carved on Oracle Bone Inscriptions or bronzes. This is a common method to record genealogy in the pre-Qin period, especially in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties.
4. The genealogy of steles refers to the genealogy carved on steles. This is very common and popular in China's genealogy history. There is also a special but common tombstone spectrum form-tombstone.
5. Cloth genealogy refers to the genealogy written on the cloth.
6. Genealogy refers to the genealogy written or printed on paper. This is the most important type of genealogy in existence.
7. Tower genealogy refers to the genealogy carved on the stone tower. This form is relatively rare. The famous one is the genealogy of stone pagoda preserved in Cuijiaping, Linxian County, Shanxi Province, which was engraved in the 16th year of Jiajing in Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1537).
According to the different objects recorded in genealogy, genealogy can be divided into:
1. Jade genealogy refers to the genealogy that specifically records the royal family, that is, the royal family genealogy. Appeared in the Yin and Shang Dynasties, all the rulers of the past dynasties compiled their own jade books. The institutions that compile and keep jade records are generally located in Zong Zheng.
2. Compared with jade genealogy, ordinary genealogy is called flexible genealogy.
According to the different departments of genealogy compilation, it can be divided into:
1. The official genealogy is compiled by government organizations. China's genealogy was mainly official genealogy before the Song Dynasty.
2. Private genealogy A genealogy compiled by a private person (individual or family). China's genealogy was mainly compiled privately after the Song Dynasty.
According to the different emphases of genealogy, it can be divided into:
1. Genealogy records family ancestral temple and genealogy related to ancestral halls. Generally, the scale, structure, evolution, memorial service, ancestor's life, memorial tablet position, ancestor worship ceremony, poems and songs of the ancestral hall are recorded, and the ancestral hall map is generally drawn.
2. Tomb genealogy records family tombs and genealogy related to tombs. Generally speaking, it is the location, direction, orientation, geomantic omen, grave repairing process, expenses, ancestor worship ceremony, sacrificial ceremony, grave keeping rules, etc. Tombs of ancestors in past dynasties are recorded, and maps of tombs and graves are usually drawn.
3. The Collection of Inscriptions specially records the inscriptions and chronicles of the ancestral tombstones of this family, such as the Chronicles of Six Spies by Gaoyou Wang.
4. Yunshen Axis is a unique family tree in rural areas of northern China. Like the pasted calligraphy and painting, they all write genealogies or portraits of ancestors. They are usually collected and hung on the wall when necessary. This kind of genealogy is relatively simple, with simple images, and is generally kept and used by families with low education or no money to compile genealogy.
Others include loyalty spectrum, literature spectrum, atlas and so on, so I won't introduce them in detail here.
According to the scope of genealogy records, it can be divided into:
1. Family tree of a family records the family tree of a family or a lineage.
2. Genealogy, genealogy and genealogy have little difference in actual content. They all refer to books that record the migration and development of a family or clan, as well as the lineages and biographies of people within the family, but one thing is that they are all relative to the family (branch) genealogy and are the integration of the family (branch) genealogy.
3. Unified genealogy is a genealogy that breaks geographical boundaries and integrates all clans and branches of the same family distributed in various places. Also known as unified genealogy, social genealogy, unified genealogy, unified Zong Zheng vein, Dacheng genealogy and total genealogy. Such as Zhang's genealogy and genealogy, Taiyuan Wang's genealogy, etc.
The unified spectrum of different surnames is to integrate many surnames into one spectrum, which is called the unified spectrum of different surnames. For example, Ling Dizhi of the Ming Dynasty compiled a genealogy of ten thousand surnames in ancient and modern times.
The essence of genealogy
After decades of development, China's genealogy has become a unique historical material with diverse types, rich contents and detailed records. It explains, reflects and confirms the historical process of the Chinese nation from the perspective of family history, and plays a great role in promoting national culture, loving the motherland, enhancing national cohesion and conducting research in sociology, demography, ethnology and history.
Genealogy is a family history, a compilation of family historical materials, a kind of history and a category of history, which has become a final conclusion. However, genealogy, as a special historical material, has different characteristics from other historical materials such as official history and local chronicles, which constitute the unique attributes of genealogy.
1. Familiarity of narrative scope
Genealogy is a record of family migration and development, and its object and scope are specific. It is a record of the migration, development, reproduction and characters of a family or clan, and sometimes even a branch of a family or a room. Therefore, the family and clan nature of the narrative scope has become the most striking feature of genealogy that distinguishes it from other historical materials.
2. The extensiveness of narrative content
Because genealogy is a family history, its narrative content is not only the origin, migration and lineage of surnames. It also involves all aspects of family life, including all historical materials about the family. The contents of China's genealogy before Sui and Tang Dynasties are generally simple, with only names taboo, posthumous title, official position, times, deeds and so on. After the Song Dynasty, especially in the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, the genealogy was very extensive, and almost all family-related materials were entered, such as population, marriage, family education, family etiquette, family property, ancestral graves, books and documents, etc. And Clan Ambition contains rich contents such as politics, economy, military, culture, thought, education, law, literature and religion, so it can be called a family.
3. Reliability of narrative data
Genealogy is devoted to the people and things in this family. Generally speaking, due to the cautious collection and rigorous compilation of data, genealogical data are relatively true and reliable.
However, genealogy, after all, is a kind of special historical data, a record of family ups and downs, and has the function of safeguarding the privileges of aristocratic families. Therefore, like other historical materials, it has its limitations, such as pretending to be ancestors, clinging to celebrities, far-fetched, beautifying ancestors, exaggerating and so on. It is precisely for this reason that when genealogy is used as historical materials, it is often doubted or even denied by some scholars, and the reliability of genealogy data is greatly reduced here.
From the historical reality, it is undeniable that the genealogy data does have the above shortcomings. The key lies in how to correctly understand these problems. Generally speaking, when tracing back the reasons for obtaining surnames and ancestors' deeds, genealogies often attach false celebrities and exaggerate, but record less modern situations, especially when compiling the deeds of people at that time, the data are more reliable. The main parts of genealogy, such as genealogy, most characters' data, family rules and regulations, ancestral halls, literary and artistic works, inscriptions, poems, etc., are usually credible. We can't completely deny the genealogy just because a small number of families are untrue.
Characteristics of genealogy
China's genealogy has the following two characteristics:
1. Continuity of assembly
Genealogy needs to be rebuilt, supplemented and continued, so as to ensure the integrity and clarity of its family history. Generally, the genealogy of China will be revised for the second time soon after it is revised once, so it will be revised again, three times, four times or even many times. Except for natural and man-made disasters, it will never stop, thus forming a distinctive feature, that is, the continuity of compilation.
2. Hide evil and promote good
China's genealogy has the principle of editing, that is, the basic tendency of brushwork is "writing well without writing evil" and "hiding evil and promoting good". Genealogy is a common practice in almost all genealogy writing, hiding the evil traces of ancestors for relatives, and remembering only the good ones and not the bad ones.
Not all evil deeds need to be hidden for relatives. Some genealogies clearly point out that some traces of evil need not be hidden, but must be recorded to warn future generations. For example, The Example of He Fang Zong Pu compiled in Guangxu period of Qing Dynasty listed six outspoken evils: "The six things of an outspoken person are: abandoning one's ancestors, betraying the party, committing a crime, losing morality, betraying righteousness and vulgarity."
This kind of writing style of restraining evil and promoting good has certainly saved some face for ancestors, but it has added moisture to the information of genealogy. This is also the reason why some experts and scholars doubt the true reliability of genealogy. Therefore, when quoting and using genealogical data, we should carefully identify them and verify them with various documents to avoid mistakes.
The function of genealogy
In China's long feudal society, genealogy, as a family record, played an important role in patriarchal clan system, bureaucratic election, marriage system and so on, which made genealogy break away from its original meaning and become a widely influential and significant identity certificate.
The content of genealogy generally describes the origin, origin and lineage of family surnames, then points out the reasons, the beginning and end, distribution and migration of the county, and then explains in detail the so-called honor, but it is only the Jinshi, Juren, Wujinshi,,, official, levy and seal owned by the family.
Such a genealogy is the total record of a family, that is, the history of family development, the changes of family characters, the ups and downs of the official sea, the rise and fall of the family, and the spread and migration, all of which are included in a family book. A family may develop into a flourishing family, or it may be scattered all over the country, but with a detailed and complete genealogical record, even the ends of the earth, even if generations are far apart, the same blood relatives come down in one continuous line. This is the most basic function of genealogy, which is the function of uniting clans and blood relatives.
As far as its development time is concerned, China's genealogy began in the Zhou Dynasty and lasted for more than 3,000 years, including Qin and Han Dynasties, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. As far as its nature is concerned, there were official genealogies before the Tang Dynasty and private genealogies after the Song Dynasty. Every dynasty and every historical period has its own genealogy, which has its own characteristics, different functions and distinct marks of the times.
To sum up, we can draw a conclusion that although genealogy and genealogy have different functions in different historical periods, their basic significance of uniting clans and blood relatives is the same. 2. Official genealogy is a tool used by China feudal dynasty to select officials and serve clan politics. 3. Whether official genealogy or private genealogy is compiled, its purpose is to serve the feudal clan, and it plays a role in maintaining the feudal ruling order and consolidating the feudal ruling foundation. 4. The powerful educational function and strict control and management function of genealogy objectively contributed to the arrogance of feudal clan rights.
The function of genealogy
Genealogy is the historical record of a family. Through genealogy, we can truly understand the historical features, spirit of the times and social fashion at that time, and understand people's production and life under that historical background. Genealogy is as important as official history and local chronicles, and it is one of the important components of historiography.
Genealogy is a huge treasure house of information, which can be used by researchers engaged in sociology, history, archaeology, economics, folklore, demography, ethnology, literature, politics, religion, law and surnames to inquire about information, find evidence and conduct research.
1. Research data of patriarchal clan system. The relationship between genealogy and patriarchal clan system is inseparable from the beginning. Patriarchal clan system is one of the important foundations for the feudal dynasty to maintain its rule, while clan rules, clan conventions, family laws and township conventions of genealogy are powerful tools to strengthen the patriarchal clan system.
2. Family moral research materials. There are many things that are very beneficial to us today, such as filial piety, harmony between husband and wife, taboo books, thrift, gambling, obscenity, laziness and extravagance, which are of great significance to our construction of modern family morality and spiritual civilization.
3. Research data of family system. Family system is a social system that uses blood relationship to rule people. Many genealogies contain very detailed information about the family system, such as family organization system, family property management and family relief methods. It provides abundant information for us to study the status, function, organizational form and management methods of the family in ancient society.
4. Economic history data. Genealogy contains a considerable amount of economic historical data, including the number, formation, operation, management, income and expenditure of family collective fields such as ancestral fields, cemeteries, fields and forests. Some genealogies also record the deeds of family members in business and trade. All these provide good materials for us to study ancient economic history today.
5. Information on population issues. The central part of genealogy is the lineage inheritance of family population. Genealogy records the number, migration, distribution and marital status of family population, which can be used by demographers.
6. Biography of historical figures. Genealogy is a record of genealogy. Many genealogies include both simple genealogies and very detailed biographies, lines, epitaphs and chronologies, which are of great help to the study of historical figures and their families.
7. National history materials. Some genealogies record the history of ethnic minorities in great detail, and some genealogies are valuable materials for studying the history of ethnic minorities. For example, Quanzhou Pushi Genealogy compiled by Pu Shenzhai in Qing Dynasty is a genealogy of Hui people, which describes some situations of local Hui people. The genealogy of the Jin family in Zhuanghe, Liaoning Province is Manchu genealogy, and the Jin family is a descendant of Ao Bai, one of the four assistant ministers of Kangxi.
8. Local history books. Genealogy is an important part of local literature. Usually, the contents contained in local chronicles, such as elections, officials, figures, household registration, temples, inscriptions, art and literature, are also important contents in genealogy.
9. Educational historical materials. Some important chapters in the genealogy record many educational historical materials, such as clan rules, family laws, official history, Hakka records, educational records, ethnic villas, biographies, etc., which include clan education, schools, imperial examinations, measures to persuade students, educational methods and so on.
10. Genealogy is also a database of folklore. Some genealogies record a lot of folk contents in family ceremonies and biographies, especially in weddings, funerals and sacrificial ceremonies. In family ceremonies, local customs and habits are quite reflected. In addition, material folk customs, times customs, social customs and spiritual customs closely related to people's daily life are recorded in genealogies all over the country.
1 1. Religious historical data. Some genealogies are family records of religious believers. In these genealogies, they usually explain their religion and express their religious views. Others described their religious activities, rituals and customs in detail.
12. Historical data of overseas Chinese. The genealogy of some coastal provinces in China involves the history of ethnic minorities going abroad to make a living, including the reasons for leaving, the number of people, the time, the distribution of overseas Chinese, the occupation, the local production and living conditions, and the economic, cultural and political ties with their hometowns and families, which provides us with materials for studying the history of overseas Chinese.
13. Some important historical events in the history of China are recorded in genealogy to varying degrees. Although these records are incomplete and unsystematic, they are very specific and are also a way for researchers to obtain information.
In addition to the above, genealogy can also provide historical materials about ancient women, ancient ethics, genetics, talents and so on. Therefore, genealogy, as one of the history books, plays a prominent role.