The General Theory of China’s Genealogy

Contents
About the Author
Part I Concepts and Definitions
1 Introduction
	1.1 What Is Genealogy?
	1.2 Types of Genealogy
	1.3 The History of Genealogy
	1.4 The Value of Genealogy
Part II Chronological Studies
2 The Origin of Chinese Genealogy
	2.1 Chinese Genealogy Originated from the Matriarchal Society
	2.2 Oral Genealogies
	2.3 Patrilineal Oral Genealogies Originated from Matrilineal Ones
	2.4 Knotted Rope Genealogies
	2.5 Genealogies that Used Oracle Inscriptions
	2.6 Bronze Genealogies
3 The Birth of Chinese Genealogy
	3.1 Comprehensive Genealogies Appeared During the Zhou Dynasty
	3.2 The Authorized Genealogical Institution
	3.3 The Publication of the Di Xi Pian and the Shi Ben
	3.4 The Development of Genealogies During the Han Dynasty
4 How Chinese Genealogies Prospered (I)
	4.1 Reasons Genealogies Prospered During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties
	4.2 Genealogical Works and Genealogists
	4.3 The Content and Characteristics of Genealogies
5 How Chinese Genealogies Prospered (II)
	5.1 Reasons Official Genealogies Developed During the Tang Dynasty
	5.2 Three Large-Scale, Official Genealogical Compilations
	5.3 Private Genealogies Developed Drastically
	5.4 The Content of Genealogies
	5.5 Types of Genealogies
	5.6 Famous Genealogists
	5.7 The Imperial Genealogies of the Tang Dynasty
6 The Transformation of Chinese Genealogies
	6.1 Official Genealogical Compilations Were Abolished While Private Ones Blossomed
	6.2 The Five-Generation Pedigree Chart Established by Ouyang Xiu and Su Xun
	6.3 Genealogical Reform in the Song Dynasty
	6.4 Zhu Xi’s Thoughts on Genealogy
	6.5 Brief Introduction to the Gu Jin Xing Shi Shu Bian Zheng and the Shi Zu Lue in the Tong Zhi
	6.6 The Imperial Genealogies of the Song Dynasty
	6.7 How Genealogies Transitioned During the Yuan Dynasty
7 The Perfection of Chinese Genealogies
	7.1 The Number of Genealogies Increased Sharply During the Ming Dynasty
	7.2 Zhu Yuanzhang’s Sacred Edict of Six Maxims
	7.3 Ming Dynasty Genealogies Followed Zhu Xi’s Ethics of the “San Gang” and the “Wu Chang”
	7.4 Improvements to Genealogies in Both Style and Content
	7.5 Ancestral Temples and Their Properties
	7.6 Grand Collections of General Genealogies
	7.7 Cheng Minzheng’s Genealogical Methodology and Verification
8 The Popularization of Chinese Genealogy
	8.1 Comparing the Styles of Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty and Republic of China Genealogies
	8.2 The Sharp Increase of Qing Dynasty and Republic of China Genealogies
	8.3 The Renewal of Genealogies
	8.4 Receiving Genealogies for Maintenance and Inspection Work
	8.5 Zhang Xuecheng’s Genealogical Theory
	8.6 The Genealogies of Ethnic Minorities
	8.7 The Imperial Genealogies of the Qing Dynasty
	8.8 Three Genealogical Prefaces Written by Sun Yat-Sen
	8.9 Famous Genealogists of the 20th Century
9 Contemporary Genealogical Compilations
	9.1 A Brief Introduction to Taiwan’s Genealogical Compilations
	9.2 A Brief Introduction to the Mainland’s Genealogical Compilation
	9.3 Genealogical Compilations from Both Sides of the Strait and Overseas
	9.4 The Inheritance and Innovation of Contemporary Genealogies, Compared to Traditional Ones
	9.5 Large-Scale General Genealogies
	9.6 Inheriting Chinese History and Culture to Promote Cultural Exchanges Both at Home and Abroad
Part III Thematic Studies
10 The Style of Chinese Genealogies and Their Content (I)
	10.1 Titles of Genealogies
	10.2 Encomiums for Ancestors’ Portraits
	10.3 Table of Contents
	10.4 The Lists of Compilers
	10.5 The Preface on Genealogy
	10.6 Genealogical Principles
	10.7 List of Imperial Grants
	10.8 The Methodology of Genealogy
	10.9 The Origin and Flow of Surnames
	10.10 The Pedigree
11 The Style of Chinese Genealogies and Their Content (II)
	11.1 Biographies
	11.2 Family Disciplines
	11.3 Customs and Rites
	11.4 Ancestral Temples
	11.5 Tombs
	11.6 Clan Property
	11.7 Deeds
	11.8 Art and Literature
	11.9 Generational Orders, Rank
	11.10 Codes for Receiving the Genealogy
12 The Number of Chinese Genealogies
	12.1 Statistics on Chinese Genealogies
	12.2 Key Collectors in China
	12.3 Key Collectors Abroad
13 Family Names Recorded in Chinese Genealogies
	13.1 Family Names that Still Exist in Chinese Genealogies
	13.2 The Origins of Chinese Surnames
	13.3 The Development Stages of Chinese Surnames
	13.4 The Characteristics of Chinese Surnames
14 The Body and Soul of Chinese Genealogies: Taking the Genealogies of Huizhou as an Example
	14.1 The Body of Chinese Genealogies: The Five-Generation Pedigree Created by Ouyang and Su
	14.2 The Soul of Chinese Genealogies: The Neo-Confucianism of Zhu Xi
15 Illustrations in Chinese Genealogies
	15.1 Portraits of Ancestors
	15.2 Drawings of Residences
	15.3 Drawings of Ancestral Temples
	15.4 Drawings of Cemeteries
	15.5 Other Illustrations
16 The Transformation of Chinese Genealogical Functions
	16.1 The Budding Stage: For Eugenic Purposes
	16.2 The Development Stage: For Political Purposes
	16.3 The Popularization Stage: For Ethical Purposes
	16.4 The Contemporary Stage: For Cultural Purposes
Appendix A List of Genealogy Websites
Appendix B Table of Chinese Dynasties