Zi Family Surname#

Surname: Zi, pronunciation: zǐ

Distribution of the Zi Family Surname#

Bohai Commandery: Established during the Western Han Dynasty. It is located along the coast of the Bohai Bay in present-day Hebei Province and Liaoning Province.

Origin of the Zi Family Surname#

The Zi surname has four possible origins:

1. The surname is derived from a place name. During the Spring and Autumn period, there was a place named Zi in the state of Zhou (around present-day Gong County, Henan Province). The people living there adopted the place name as their surname, forming a branch of the Zi family.
2. It originated from a modification of another surname. In ancient times, there was a tribe called Zi Zhou. One of the concubines of Emperor Ku belonged to this tribe. Some descendants of Zi Zhou omitted the "Zhou" character to form the Zi surname.
3. It originated from a modification of the Ji surname. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, people with the Ji surname living in the state of Qi considered it inauspicious and changed it to Zi.
4. It originated from the Jiang surname, with the surname being derived from the name of a city. There was a state named Ji during the Zhou Dynasty, and one of its cities was named Zi. When this city was captured by the state of Qi, the people there adopted Zi as their surname.

Ancestor of the Zi Surname

Ji Bo. According to the "Xing Yuan," it is recorded that "the people of Qi originally had the surname Ji, but changed it to Zi due to bad omens." This indicates that the Zi surname originated from the Ji surname. The Ji family originated from the state of Ji, which had the rank of "Bo" during the Zhou Dynasty. The descendants of Ji adopted the name of the state as their surname. According to the "Lu Shi," the state of Ji was located in the northeast of present-day Zheng County, Henan Province. In other words, the Zi family in China originated in the Central Plains region 3,000 years ago and is a family with a long history. The Zi surname has a ancient and prestigious lineage, mainly distributed in present-day Shandong Province. It is likely that their descendants simplified their surname to the single character "Zi." Over the years, the Zi family has primarily thrived in the Bohai Commandery (present-day Cang County, Hebei Province). The descendants of the Zi family revere Ji Bo as the ancestor of the Zi surname.

Migration and Distribution (Information missing) The Zi surname is not among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. The earliest form of the Zi surname was a simplification of the Zi Zhou surname. During the Xia Dynasty, there was a vassal state called Ji Zhou, and its people were mostly known as Zi Zhou. The Ji Zhou surname was later shortened to Zi. In ancient times, there was also a state named Ji in present-day Shouguang County, Shandong Province, which was later conquered by the state of Qi, but its descendants continued to use the Zi surname as a remembrance of this former state.

Hall Names (Information missing)

Common Couplets for Zi Family Ancestral Halls

Four-character Couplets for Zi Family Ancestral Halls

• "Her lineage extends to the Bohai; its origin lies in Zi City." (Authors unknown) This couplet refers to the historical prominence and origins of the Zi surname (see "IV. Hall Names and Origins of the Surname" and "I. Origins of the Surname" for details.)
• "The empty hall symbolizes respect; the true name endures through time." (Authors unknown) The first line refers to Zi Shun from the Western Han Dynasty, who was granted the title of Marquis of Lou Xu for his contributions. The second line refers to Zi Gen from the Song Dynasty, who styled himself "Shou Zhen Zi" (see "III. Historical Figures" for details.)
• "Lou Xu celebrates prosperity; auspicious energies bring good fortune." (Authors unknown) This couplet also refers to Zi Shun from the Western Han Dynasty and his title as Marquis of Lou Xu.

Five-character Couplets for Zi Family Ancestral Halls

• "Shou Zhen Zi sits in the snow; Marquis Lou Xu achieves great deeds." (Authors unknown) This couplet refers to Zi Gen from the Jin Dynasty, who learned Taoism from Ma Yu and Qiu Chuji in Changchun and styled himself "Shou Zhen Zi." During a snowstorm, he remained indoors for over ten days without showing signs of cold or hunger. When the Jin Dynasty fell, he is said to have become an immortal.
• "A famous filial son from the Yuan Dynasty; a Marquis of Lou Xu for his merits during the Han Dynasty." (Authors unknown) This couplet refers to Zi Ru Dao from the Yuan Dynasty, known for his filial piety, and Zi Shun from the Western Han Dynasty, who was granted the title of Marquis of Lou Xu for his contributions.

These couplets celebrate the history and heritage of the Zi family.