Li Family (Li Xing)#

Surname: Li, pronounced as “lí”

Regions Where the Li Surname Is Found#

• Jingzhao Commandery: In the first year of the Taichu era of the Han Dynasty (104 BCE), the position of You Neishi was reorganized into the Jingzhao Yin, with responsibilities similar to those of a commandery governor. It was one of the three important administrative regions (Sanfu) and its administrative center was Chang’an (now northwest of Xi’an), covering the area north of the Qinling Mountains, east of Xi’an, and south of the Wei River in present-day Shaanxi. During the Three Kingdoms period, the jurisdiction of this region was renamed Jingzhao Yin, and the official title was changed to governor. The founding ancestor of this branch of the Li family was Li Gan, who served as the Jingzhao Yin during the Tang Dynasty.
• Jiuzhen Commandery: Established by Zhao Tuo of Nanyue at the end of the 3rd century BCE, it was incorporated into the Han Empire in 111 BCE. Its territory corresponds to parts of present-day Vietnam’s Quang Ninh and Ha Giang provinces, as well as the eastern part of Yen Bai Province.
• Songcheng Commandery: During the Sui Dynasty, this area was known as Juyang and served as the capital of the Song Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, it was renamed Songcheng, located south of present-day Shangqiu County in Henan Province.

Origins of the Li Surname#

1. Descendants of the Jiuli people: According to various historical records, the Jiuli were a large indigenous ethnic group in southern China during ancient times. They are said to have been vassals during the reign of Shao Hao (a legendary leader of the Dongyi people). One member of the Jiuli family was appointed as the “Beizheng” (a position possibly related to fire management) and later adopted the Jiuli surname as their family name.
2. Descendants of the Li state: During the Shang Dynasty, there were two states named Li. One was located southwest of present-day Changzhi County, Shanxi, and was conquered by King Wen of Zhou at the end of the Shang Dynasty; the other was located west of present-day Yuncheng County, Shandong. The descendants of these two states adopted the name of their states as their surname. Both of these states were said to be descendants of the ancient tribe of Jiuli.
3. Descendants of Emperor Yao: According to historical records, after the Li state was conquered by King Wen of Zhou, its descendants were granted the title of marquess and continued to use the name of their state as their surname. During the Spring and Autumn period, the capital of the Li state was moved to Lihou City in northeastern Licheng County, Shanxi, and later it was conquered by the Jin Dynasty. The descendants of these people also adopted the name of their state as their surname.
4. Minority groups adopting the Li surname: During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Xianbei tribe from northern China adopted the surname Li. After the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty was moved to Luoyang, they changed their surname from the Xianbei version to the Chinese character-based version “Li.”

Founding Ancestor of the Surname: Feng Shu was a descendant of King Tang of Shang. At the end of the Shang Dynasty, the state of Li was conquered by King Ji Chang of Zhou, and its descendants were granted the title of marquess by King Wu of Zhou.

Hall Names (Tanghao): The main hall name for the Li family is “Zhaijiu Tang” (Hall of Carrying Wine). During the Song Dynasty, the Li brothers were poor but highly educated. Su Dongpo visited them, and the Li brothers often brought wine to meet with Su Dongpo to seek his advice. Su Dongpo inscribed a plaque on their door that read “Zhaijiu Tang” (Hall of Carrying Wine). Other hall names include “Jingzhao,” “Jiuzhen,” and “Songcheng.”

Population Distribution:

• During the Song Dynasty, there were approximately 90,000 people with the Li surname, accounting for about 0.12% of the national population, ranking 126th in prevalence. Hunan Province had the largest population of Li people, accounting for about 40% of the total Li population. The Li surname was mainly concentrated in Hunan, Sichuan, and Jiangxi provinces, with these three provinces together accounting for 89% of the total Li population. Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang also had significant populations.
• In the Ming Dynasty, there were about 200,000 people with the Li surname, accounting for 0.22% of the national population, ranking 88th in prevalence. During the 600 years from the Song to the Ming Dynasty, the population of the Li surname grew at a faster rate than the national population as a whole. Jiangxi Province had the largest population of Li people, accounting for about 42% of the total Li population. The Li surname was mainly distributed in Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces, with these two provinces together accounting for 67% of the total population. During this period, the distribution of the Li surname shifted significantly towards the southeast.

Current Population and Distribution:
Today, there are nearly 2 million people with the Li surname, ranking 103rd in prevalence, accounting for about 0.16% of the national population. The Li surname is most concentrated in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, with these two provinces together accounting for 46% of the total Li population. It is also found in Jiangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Anhui, Hainan, Guizhou, Chongqing, and Hubei provinces, with these eight provinces together accounting for another 44% of the total Li population. Guangdong has the largest