The Ji Family Name#

Family Name: Ji, Pronunciation: jì

Distribution of the Ji Family Name#

The Ji family name originated from the ancient district of Neihuangjun, which was established during the Han Dynasty. The administrative center of Neihuangjun was located in what is now Neihuang County, Henan Province.

Origins of the Ji Family Name#

There are two theories regarding the origin of the Ji family name:

1. The Ji family name stems from the Ji clan, descendants of the Yellow Emperor (Xuanyuan). They adopted the name of their fiefdom as their surname. According to the "Lushi" (History of Routes), King Wu of Zhou (Ji Chang) defeated King Zhou of Shang, established the Zhou Dynasty, and honored the virtues of the ancient sages. He granted a fief to a descendant of the Yellow Emperor in the area of Ji (around Guang'anmen in the southwest of present-day Beijing), making him the Marquis of Ji and establishing the state of Ji. This state was later conquered by the state of Yan. The royal family of the former state of Ji adopted the name of their land as their surname, which has been passed down through generations and became the official Ji family name.

2. Another theory suggests that the Ji family name originated from a place name. According to the "Xingshì Kaolüe" (A Brief Study of Family Names), the region of Fanyang in ancient times was known as Ji. Since the Tang Dynasty, the place name "Jizhou" has appeared in the Fanyang area (southwest of present-day Beijing). The local people adopted this name as their surname. "Ji" originally referred to a type of herbaceous plant that resembled the hibiscus; this plant is common in places like Changping, Fangshan, and Anci in Hebei Province. The name "Jizhou" comes from this plant, and there is still a county named Jixian in Hebei Province today. Scholars have confirmed that Jixian in Hebei Province is the birthplace of the Ji family name, with a history of 3,100 years. The prominent Ji family lived in Neihuangjun, which is in the northwest of present-day Neihuang County, Henan Province.

Ancestral Founder of the Ji Family Name

The establishment of the state of Ji makes it one of the earliest states formed in the area of present-day Beijing. It may have been established by descendants of the Yellow Emperor's tribe during the Shang Dynasty and became a vassal state of the Zhou Dynasty. The "Liji·Lèjì" (Book of Rites·Record of Music) states, "King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang Dynasty and, before even getting off his horse, granted a fief to a descendant of the Yellow Emperor in Ji." The "Shiji·Zhou Benji" (Records of the Grand Historian·Chronicle of Zhou) records that King Wu honored the descendants of Emperor Yao and granted them a fief in Ji. The capital of the state of Ji was located in the area around Guang'anmen in the southwest of present-day Beijing and was conquered by the state of Yan around the 7th century BCE. The royal family of the former state of Ji adopted the name of their land as their surname, which has been passed down through generations.

Migration and Distribution

The Ji family name is not among the top 100 most common family names in mainland China or Taiwan. After King Wu of Zhou defeated King Zhou of Shang and established the Zhou Dynasty, he granted fiefs to various vassals. King Wu admired the ancient tribal leader, the Yellow Emperor, and granted a fief to a descendant of the Yellow Emperor in Ji, establishing the state of Ji. The descendants of the Ji royal family adopted the name of their fief as their surname, which has been passed down through generations.

Common Couplets for Ji Family Ancestral Temples

【Four-Character Couplets for Ji Family Ancestral Temples】

• Descendants of Emperor Yao; The Elderly Man of Chang'an. – Anonymous. This couplet refers to the fact that the descendants of Emperor Yao were granted a fief in Ji and adopted the name of their fiefdom as their surname.
• Miraculous Events in the Capital; The Elderly Man of Chang'an. – Anonymous. This couplet refers to Ji Zixun, a person from the Eastern Han Dynasty who lived in Chang'an and was known for his magical powers. He once accidentally dropped and killed a neighbor's baby, but a month later, he brought the baby back to life. His reputation spread throughout the capital, attracting hundreds of people, including officials and scholars. Later, people saw him in Chang'an rubbing a bronze statue and said, "It seems only a few hundred years have passed since the statue was cast."

These couplets reflect the historical and cultural significance of the Ji family name and its origins.