Chinese Hundred Family Surnames

Origin and History

Hundred Family Surnames (百家姓 in Chinese; pinyin: Bǎijiāxìng) is a book containing common Chinese surnames. It was composed by a scholar living in Hangzhou city during the early Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) as an enlightened reading material. He composed every four surnames together and made them into a poetic verse. It just like a Chinese classical poem with four characters each line thus easy to be read and memorize. Originally, the book contained 411 surnames, and it was expanded to 504 later. In the book, it records 444 single-character surnames and 60 two-character surnames. About the rankings of the surnames in the book, it was just arranged for easy read instead of by their population numbers.

The first four surnames in the book have some special meanings. The book was composed in the districts of Wuyue (Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces present) in Song Dynasty. So, the surnames of the most important families in the empire there were listed as the top four.
赵(zhào) is the surname of the emperor of Song Dynasty.
钱(qián) is the surname of the kings of Wuyue (907-978) which was an independent coastal kingdom founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960).
孙(sūn) is the surname of the queen of Wuyue.
李(lǐ) is the surname of the king of Southern Tang (937–976) which was one of the Ten Kingdoms in Southern China created following the Tang Dynasty.

The book Hundred Family Surnames is an important part of Chinese culture. In 2009, it was listed as the earliest book about Chinese surnames by China World Records Association.

Contents of Chinese Hundred Family Surnames Poem

        赵(zhào) 钱(qián) 孙(sūn) 李(lǐ)
  周(zhōu) 吴(wú) 郑(zhèng) 王(wáng)
  冯(féng) 陈(chén) 褚(chǔ) 卫(wèi)
  蒋(jiǎng) 沈(shěn) 韩(hán) 杨(yáng)
  朱(zhū) 秦(qín) 尤(yóu) 许(xǔ)
  何(hé) 吕(lǚ) 施(shī) 张(zhāng)
  孔(kǒng) 曹(cáo) 严(yán) 华(huà)
  金(jīn) 魏(wèi) 陶(táo) 姜(jiāng)
  戚(qī) 谢(xiè) 邹(zōu) 喻(yù)
  柏(bǎi) 水(shuǐ) 窦(dòu) 章(zhāng)
  云(yún) 苏(sū) 潘(pān) 葛(gě)
  奚(xī) 范(fàn) 彭(péng) 郎(láng)
  鲁(lǔ) 韦(wéi) 昌(chāng) 马(mǎ)
  苗(miáo) 凤(fèng) 花(huā) 方(fāng)
  俞(yú) 任(rèn) 袁(yuán) 柳(liǔ)
  酆(fēng) 鲍(bào) 史(shǐ) 唐(táng)
  费(fèi) 廉(lián) 岑(cén) 薛(xuē)
  雷(léi) 贺(hè) 倪(ní) 汤(tāng)
  滕(téng) 殷(yīn) 罗(luó) 毕(bì)
  郝(hǎo) 邬(wū) 安(ān) 常(cháng)
  乐(yuè) 于(yú) 时(shí) 傅(fù)
  皮(pí) 卞(biàn) 齐(qí) 康(kāng)
  伍(wǔ) 余(yú) 元(yuán) 卜(bǔ)
  顾(gù) 孟(mèng) 平(píng) 黄(huáng)
  和(hé) 穆(mù) 萧(xiāo) 尹(yǐn)
  姚(yáo) 邵(shào) 湛(zhàn) 汪(wāng)
  祁(qí) 毛(máo) 禹(yǔ) 狄(dí)
  米(mǐ) 贝(bèi) 明(míng) 臧(zāng)
  计(jì) 伏(fú) 成(chéng) 戴(dài)
  谈(tán) 宋(sòng) 茅(máo) 庞(páng)
  熊(xióng) 纪(jì) 舒(shū) 屈(qū)
  项(xiàng) 祝(zhù) 董(dǒng) 梁(liáng)
  杜(dù) 阮(ruǎn) 蓝(lán) 闵(mǐn)
  席(xí) 季(jì) 麻(má) 强(qiáng)
  贾(jiǎ) 路(lù) 娄(lóu) 危(wēi)
  江(jiāng) 童(tóng) 颜(yán) 郭(guō)
  梅(méi) 盛(shèng) 林(lín) 刁(diāo)
  钟(zhōng) 徐(xú) 邱(qiū) 骆(luò)
  高(gāo) 夏(xià) 蔡(cài) 田(tián)
  樊(fán) 胡(hú) 凌(líng) 霍(huò)
  虞(yú) 万(wàn) 支(zhī) 柯(kē)
  昝(zǎn) 管(guǎn) 卢(lú) 莫(mò)
  经(jīng) 房(fáng) 裘(qiú) 缪(miào)
  干(gān) 解(xiè) 应(yīng) 宗(zōng)
  丁(dīng) 宣(xuān) 贲(bēn) 邓(dèng)
  郁(yù) 单(shàn) 杭(háng) 洪(hóng)
  包(bāo) 诸(zhū) 左(zuǒ) 石(shí)
  崔(cuī) 吉(jí) 钮(niǔ) 龚(gōng)
  程(chéng) 嵇(jī) 邢(xíng) 滑(huá)
  裴(péi) 陆(lù) 荣(róng) 翁(wēng)
  荀(xún) 羊(yáng) 於(yū) 惠(huì)
  甄(zhēn) 曲(qū) 家(jiā) 封(fēng)
  芮(ruì) 羿(yì) 储(chǔ) 靳(jìn)
  汲(jí) 邴(bǐng) 糜(mí) 松(sōng)
  井(jǐng) 段(duàn) 富(fù) 巫(wū)
  乌(wū) 焦(jiāo) 巴(bā) 弓(gōng)
  牧(mù) 隗(kuí) 山(shān) 谷(gǔ)
  车(chē) 侯(hóu) 宓(mì) 蓬(péng)
  全(quán) 郗(xī) 班(bān) 仰(yǎng)
  秋(qiū) 仲(zhòng) 伊(yī) 宫(gōng)
  宁(nìng) 仇(qiú) 栾(luán) 暴(bào)
  甘(gān) 钭(tǒu) 厉(lì) 戎(róng)
  祖(zǔ) 武(wǔ) 符(fú) 刘(liú)
  景(jǐng) 詹(zhān) 束(shù) 龙(lóng)
  叶(yè) 幸(xìng) 司(sī) 韶(sháo)
  郜(gào) 黎(lí) 蓟(jì) 薄(bó)
  印(yìn) 宿(sù) 白(bái) 怀(huái)
  蒲(pú) 邰(tái) 从(cóng) 鄂(è)
  索(suǒ) 咸(xián) 籍(jí) 赖(lài)
  卓(zhuó) 蔺(lìn) 屠(tú) 蒙(méng)
  池(chí) 乔(qiáo) 阴(yīn) 郁(yù)
  胥(xū) 能(nài) 苍(cāng) 双(shuāng)
  闻(wén) 莘(shēn) 党(dǎng) 翟(zhái)
  谭(tán) 贡(gòng) 劳(láo) 逄(páng)
  姬(jī) 申(shēn) 扶(fú) 堵(dǔ)
  冉(rǎn) 宰(zǎi) 郦(lì) 雍(yōng)
  郤(xì)) 璩(qú) 桑(sāng 桂(guì)
  濮(pú) 牛(niú) 寿(shòu) 通(tōng)
  边(biān) 扈(hù) 燕(yān) 冀(jì)
  郏(jiá) 浦(pǔ) 尚(shàng) 农(nóng)
  温(wēn) 别(bié) 庄(zhuāng) 晏(yàn)
  柴(chái) 瞿(qú) 阎(yán) 充(chōng)
  慕(mù) 连(lián) 茹(rú) 习(xí)
  宦(huàn) 艾(ài) 鱼(yú) 容(róng)
  向(xiàng) 古(gǔ) 易(yì) 慎(shèn)
  戈(gē) 廖(liào) 庾(yǔ) 终(zhōng)
  暨(jì) 居(jū) 衡(héng) 步(bù)
  都(dū) 耿(gěng) 满(mǎn) 弘(hóng)
  匡(kuāng) 国(guó) 文(wén) 寇(kòu)
  广(guǎng) 禄(lù) 阙(quē) 东(dōng)
  欧(ōu) 殳(shū) 沃(wò) 利(lì)
  蔚(wèi) 越(yuè) 夔(kuí) 隆(lóng)
  师(shī) 巩(gǒng) 厍(shè) 聂(niè)
  晁(cháo) 勾(gōu) 敖(áo) 融(róng)
  冷(lěng) 訾(zǐ) 辛(xīn) 阚(kàn)
  那(nā) 简(jiǎn) 饶(ráo) 空(kōng)
  曾(zēng) 母(mǔ) 沙(shā) 乜(niè)
  养(yǎng) 鞠(jū) 须(xū) 丰(fēng)
  巢(cháo) 关(guān) 蒯(kuǎi) 相(xiàng)
  查(zhā) 后(hòu) 荆(jīng) 红(hóng)
  游(yóu) 竺(zhú) 权(quán) 逯(lù)
  盖(gài) 益(yì) 桓(huán) 公(gōng)
  万俟(mò qí) 司马(sī mǎ) 上官(shàng guān) 欧阳(ōu yáng)
  夏侯(xià hóu) 诸葛(zhū gě) 闻人(wén rén) 东方(dōng fāng)
  赫连(hè lián) 皇甫(huáng pǔ) 尉迟(yù chí) 公羊(gōng yáng)
  澹台(tán tái) 公冶(gōng yě) 宗政(zōng zhèng) 濮阳(pú yáng)
  淳于(chún yú) 单于(chán yú) 太叔(tài shū) 申屠(shēn tú)
  公孙(gōng sūn) 仲孙(zhòng sūn) 轩辕(xuān yuán) 令狐(lìng hú )
  钟离(zhōng lí) 宇文(yǔ wén) 长孙(zhǎng sūn) 慕容(mù róng)
  鲜于(xiān yú) 闾丘(lǘ qiū) 司徒(sī tú) 司空(sī kōng)
  亓官(qí guān) 司寇(sī kòu) 仉督(zhǎng dū) 子车(zǐ jū)
  颛孙(zhuān sūn) 端木(duān mù) 巫马(wū mǎ) 公西(gōng xī)
  漆雕(qī diāo) 乐正(yuè zhèng) 壤驷(rǎng sì) 公良(gōng liáng)
  拓跋(tuò bá) 夹谷(jiá gǔ) 宰父(zǎi fǔ) 榖梁(gǔ liáng)
  晋(jìn) 楚(chǔ) 闫(yán) 法(fǎ) 汝(rǔ) 鄢(yān) 涂(tú) 钦(qīn)
  段干(duàn gān) 百里(bǎi lǐ) 东郭(dōng guō) 南门(nán mén)
  呼延(hū yán) 归(guī) 海 (hǎi) 羊舌(yáng shé) 微(wēi) 生(shēng)
  岳(yuè) 帅(shuài) 缑(gōu) 亢(kàng) 况(kuàng) 后(hòu) 有(yǒu) 琴(qín)
  梁丘(liáng qiū) 左丘(zuǒ qiū) 东门(dōng mén) 西门(xī mén)
  商(shāng) 牟(móu) 佘(shé) 佴(nài) 伯(bó) 赏(shǎng) 南宫(nán gōng)
  墨(mò) 哈(hǎ) 谯(qiáo) 笪(dá) 年(nián) 爱(ài) 阳(yáng) 佟(tóng)
  第五(dì wǔ) 言(yán) 福(fú)

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