The Shi Family#

Surname: Shi, pronounced as "shī"

Distribution of the Shi Family#

Wuxing Commandery: This commandery was established during the Zhou Dynasty. In the third century BCE, during the Wu Kingdom period, it was founded in the first year of the Baoding era (Bingxu, 266 BCE). Its administrative center was located in Wucheng (present-day Wuxing, Zhejiang), reflecting the prosperity of the Wu Kingdom. At that time, its jurisdiction covered the areas from Lin'an in Zhejiang to Yixing in Jiangsu. In the early years of the Yixi era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (Yisi, 405 BCE), the administrative center was moved to Wuxing (present-day Wuxing, Zhejiang), and its jurisdiction extended to Lin'an, Huzhou, Yuyao, Hangzhou, Deqing in Zhejiang, as well as parts of Yixing in Jiangsu. In the second year of the Renshou era of the Sui Dynasty (Renxu, 602 BCE), due to its proximity to Taihu Lake, it was renamed Huzhou. During the Tang Dynasty, it was once renamed Wuxing Commandery again.

Origins of the Shi Family#

The Shi surname has five origins:

1. From the Ji surname: It originates from Wei Sheng, a descendant of Duke Hui of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. His ancestral name was adopted as the family name. According to historical records such as "Tongzhi·Shizhu Lue·Yizhi Weishi" and "Yuanhe Xingzuan," Wei Sheng, a descendant of the Yellow Emperor with the Ji surname, adopted his ancestral name as his family name, which was passed down through generations.

2. From the ancient state of Shi: This origin dates back to the Xia Dynasty, where members of the royal family of the state of Shi adopted the state name as their family name. According to "Xingshicao Lue," during the Xia Dynasty, there was a noble family with the Shi surname. After the state's downfall, their descendants continued to use the state name as their family name.

3. From the Zi surname: The Shi family also originated from one of the seven prominent merchant clans of the Shang Dynasty. According to the "Zuo Zhuan," in the early Zhou Dynasty, Kang Shu, a brother of King Wu, was granted the title of Marquis of Wei and received one of the seven prominent merchant clans, including the Shi clan. The Shi clan were skilled in making flags, and their descendants inherited this name.

4. From the Fang surname: During the Ming Dynasty, a member of the Fang family, Fang Xiaoru, changed his surname to Shi to avoid persecution. According to the "Xingshizidian," after Fang Xiaoru was killed, his relatives fled and changed their surname to Shi to avoid being implicated.

5. From other clans: For example, the Bai ethnic group in Yunnan adopted the Shi surname, and during the Ming and Qing dynasties, some local chieftains in Yunnan also had the Shi surname. Additionally, the Manchu people living in Shenyang, as well as various ethnic groups such as the Jing, Yi, Miao, Mongolian, Qiang, Dai, Naxi, and Lisu, also have the Shi surname.

Founder of the Shi Family:
Shi Fu was a son of Duke Hui of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. He was known for his knowledge of music and predicted the death of the ruler of the Cao state based on the movements of the Cao prince during a music performance. Duke Hui highly valued his talents and entrusted him with important tasks, making Shi Fu a prominent official of his time. When Shi Fu's great-grandson, Xiao Shu, adopted his ancestral name as his family name, it became distinct from other families, and over time, the "Shi" surname was established.

Migration and Spread:
During the Pre-Qin period, the Shi family began to spread in Shandong and Anhui, later migrating westward to northern Henan, then south to the Shi En area in Hubei, and further south to Hunan and Guizhou. A branch moved west to the Luzhou area in Sichuan and the Eryuan area in Yunnan, forming the main settlements of the Shi family in the southwest. A significant branch moved south from the ancient state of Shi in Anhui and became a prominent family in Huzhou, Wuxing Commandery, during the Tang Dynasty. By the Tang and Song dynasties, the Shi family had spread throughout the Jiangnan region. In the Song Dynasty, there were approximately 130,000 people with the Shi surname, accounting for about 0.17% of the national population, ranking 93rd in frequency. Zhejiang and Sichuan were the largest provinces with Shi families, each accounting for about 17% of the national total. The Shi family was mainly concentrated in Zhejiang, Sichuan, Jiangsu, and Anhui, with these five provinces accounting for about 70% of the total population. During the Ming Dynasty, the number of Shi people increased to nearly 250,000, ranking 81st in frequency, with Zhejiang being the largest province, accounting for about 41% of the total Shi population.

Notable Figures with the Shi Surname:

• Xi Shi: A beautiful woman from the state of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period. Her exact birth and death years are unknown. She was from Zhuluo (present-day Zhuji, Zhejiang) and was originally a silk washer. When her state was defeated by Wu, she was offered to the king of Wu to disrupt his government. Her appearance greatly pleased the king, who neglected state affairs and eventually was defeated by Yue. (Referenced in "Han Shu·Zhao Ye·Wuyue Chunqiu·Volume 9·Jiu Jian Yinmi Wu."

• Shi Nai'an: (1296–1371) Also known as Zi An or Er, with the courtesy name Yuduan and the literary name Nai'an, he was from Xinghua, Jiangsu. His ancestral home was Hailing County, Taizhou, and he lived in Shijia Lane outside Changmen in Suzhou, later moving to Baijuchang in Xinghua County (present-day Baijuzhen, Dafeng City, Jiangsu). He was a famous ancient Chinese writer and the author of "Water Margin," one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature.

• Shi Lang: With the courtesy name Zunhou and the literary name Zhuogong, he was from Jinjiang during the Qing Dynasty. Initially a general under Zheng Zhilong of the Ming Dynasty, he surrendered to the Qing and helped to pacify the Taiwan region, destroying the Zheng family. He was posthumously granted the title of Jinghai Marquis.