Ji Family Name#

Family Name: Ji, Pronunciation: jī

Distribution of the Ji Family Name#

The prominent Ji clans resided in Nanyang (present-day Nanyang City, Henan Province). Nanyang Commandery was established during the Warring States period by the Qin State, corresponding to the Nanyang area of Henan Province today.

Origin of the Ji Family Name#

The origin of the “Ji” name can be traced back to one of the eight most ancient ancestral family names of the Chinese nation. Members of the Ji clan can be considered direct descendants of the Yellow Emperor, and this surname has a long history of nearly 5,000 years. All Chinese people claim to be “descendants of the Yellow Emperor” or “descendants of Yan and Huang” (Yellow Emperor and Yan Emperor). What is the difference between them? During the development and proliferation of the Chinese nation, the Yellow Emperor was the common ancestor of the Han people. However, many descendants of the Yellow Emperor were granted fiefs throughout different regions, and most of them adopted the names of those regions as their surnames.

1. The Yellow Emperor and the Ji Surname: According to legend, the Yellow Emperor was born by a river called “Ji,” which led to the formation of the Ji surname. The nobles of the Zhou Dynasty were descendants of the Yellow Emperor; for example, King Wen of Zhou was named Ji Chang, and King Wu of Zhou was named Ji Fa. After the fall of the Zhou Dynasty, the royal descendants adopted the names of their kingdoms as their surnames. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, to avoid the emperor’s name (which sounded similar to “Ji”), some people reverted to the Ji surname. Thus, the Zhou and Ji clans are related.
2. Descendants of the Yellow Emperor: The Yellow Emperor had 25 sons, each receiving a different surname, including Ji. Later emperors such as Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Yao, Shun, Yu, as well as the ancestors of the Xia and Shang dynasties, were all descendants of the Yellow Emperor. These descendants inherited the Ji surname, and one of them established the Zhou Dynasty. In the early Zhou Dynasty, there were 53 states with the Ji surname. Many of the descendants of these states adopted the names of their kingdoms, fiefdoms, or their ancestors’ names as their surnames, which reduced the number of people with the Ji surname. Additionally, during the Tang Dynasty, some people changed their surname to Zhou to avoid the emperor’s name.

Ancestral Origins

The Ji surname originates from the Yellow Emperor, who was the common ancestor of the Chinese nation. According to the “Shuowen Jiezi,” the Yellow Emperor adopted the Ji surname because he lived by the Ji River. His direct descendants have carried this surname for 5,000 years. The Yellow Emperor is regarded as the common ancestor of the Chinese nation. According to historical records, the Yellow Emperor was born and grew up by the Ji River, which is why he took this surname. The Ji clan’s prominent families lived in Nanyang Commandery (present-day Nanyang County, Henan Province), making the Yellow Emperor the progenitor of the Ji surname.

Migration and Distribution

The Ji surname is not among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. It is one of the oldest Chinese surnames. The Yellow Emperor, a famous tribal leader in ancient times, worshipped the dragon totem. He was born by a river called Ji, hence the surname Ji. Fourteen of the Yellow Emperor’s 25 sons received twelve different surnames, including Ji. After the establishment of the Zhou Dynasty, the royal descendants adopted the names of their kingdoms as their surnames. When the Zhou Dynasty ended, the royal descendants changed their surnames to Zhou to avoid the emperor’s name.

Hall Names

• Shouqiu Hall: This hall name is derived from the fact that the Yellow Emperor was the progenitor of the Ji clan and was born in Shouqiu.
• Chixi Hall: This name is in honor of Duke of Zhou, Ji Dan, who is praised in poems.

Common Couplets for Ji Family Ancestral Shrines

• Four-character Couplets:
  • “Originating from the Yellow Emperor; Prominent in Nanyang.”
  • “Royal scholar in red attire; Duke of Zhou in red shoes.”
  • “Celebrating prosperity; Blessings from the Yellow Emperor.”

Six-character Couplets:

• “The magistrate of Xi'an in the Ming Dynasty; The general of loyalty in the Han Dynasty.”
• “The ancestor who taught farming; The righteous ruler who moved to Qishan.”

Additional Notes:

• Among the thousands of Chinese surnames, the Ji surname is the oldest. Members of the Ji clan are direct descendants of the Yellow Emperor, with a history of nearly 5,000 years. Although the Ji surname was once common, it is now less prevalent. Many people with the Ji surname changed it to Zhou to avoid the names of emperors during certain periods.