(Question about East and West) Zhang Xinbin: Both Eastern and Western surname cultures speak of “root”. What are the similarities and differences?
China News Service, Zhengzhou, November 13th, title: “Roots” are both spoken in the culture of surnames in the East and the West. What are the similarities and differences?
——Interview with Zhang Xinbin, Vice President of the Chinese Society of Pre-Qin History
Author Zhao Hui Yang Dayong
The Chinese surname culture records the formation process of the Chinese nation in a special form of blood relationship. It is an important representative of Chinese civilization and an important component of Chinese culture. It is still playing a role in enhancing the cohesion and centripetal force of the Chinese nation, and enhancing the sense of belonging and identity of the global Chinese. Important role. Zhang Xinbin, director of the Institute of History and Archaeology, Henan Academy of Social Sciences, and vice president of the Chinese Society of Pre-Qin History, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency “East and West Questions”. He expressed his opinions on the advantages of ties, the differences and the same culture of surnames between the East and the West.
The summary of the interview record is as follows:
China News Agency reporter: As the most important part of the outside world‘s perception of Chinese culture, what is the status of surname culture in it? How to understand the culture of Chinese surnames?
Zhang Xinbin:Chinese surname culture is an important part of Chinese culture and the foundation of Chinese culture. The family genes of Chinese people are surnames. The evolution of early dynasties and ethnic groups in China are all connected with surnames. From the Yan Emperor to the Huang Emperor period, the main source of the surname was formed. After the three dynasties of Xia, Shang, and Zhou, the surnames continued to multiply and gradually established the main structure of Chinese surname culture.
In addition, the culture of Chinese surnames is an important carrier for the cohesion and development of overseas Chinese. Overseas, Chinese associations include hometown associations, industry associations, etc. The most important of which is surname associations, the so-called folks, kinsmen, and clans, to unite and develop together.
Lanzhou artists explore the origin of surnames by carving the “Hundred Family Surnames” on wood panels.Photo by Yang Na
The significance of studying Chinese surname culture is to make good use of the positive energy of surname culture, to sort out the main genes of Chinese culture, to inherit historical excellent traditions, and to serve social and economic development.
The Chinese surname culture has very rich connotations. From matrilineal society to patrilineal society, and then to tribal alliances, the early development of surnames basically reflected the laws of human development and changes. How was the Chinese nation formed? It can be interpreted by the source of the surname. To study the history of the development of the Chinese nation, one can find examples of exchanges and fusions between various ethnic groups through the study of surnames. In a sense, the Chinese nation is a big “union”, and the surname is the bond to realize the union.
Culturally speaking, the surname culture embodies the important concepts of recognizing the ancestors and returning to the clan and abandoning evil and promoting good. Recognizing the ancestors and returning to the ancestry reflects the cohesion of culture, while abandoning evil and promoting goodness contains correct values, and contains the outstanding genes of the Chinese nation in pursuing justice, magnanimous kindness, and cohesion. There is a very interesting phenomenon in the genealogy of surnames. The positive characters in the family are proud of it for generations to come, and a large number of descendants of the surname are gathered; negative characters are cast aside by the family and even become an important reason for the demise of certain surnames. . This cultural phenomenon shows that the Chinese people have a cultural philosophy of pursuing integrity. The culture of surnames emphasizes roots and benevolence. Around these excellent genes, individuals find the greatest identity with their families and merge with them. The Chinese nation’s ability to grow from small to large, from scattered to concentrated, also demonstrates the cohesion of surname culture.
Surname culture is very helpful to economic and social development. The first wave of China’s reform and opening up was largely due to the development of investment based on overseas Chinese seeking roots and ancestors in mainland China. Overseas Chinese and overseas Chinese went to the southeast coastal areas to find their roots, and then to the hinterland of the Central Plains. With their feelings, ideas and funds, they invested in their hometowns and helped their ancestors. They became an important force in reform and opening up and played an important role in regional economic development. An important window to understand the world.
China News Agency reporter: Given the uniqueness of Chinese surname culture, how should we explain to the outside world in the process of communicating with other civilizations? What are the differences in surname culture between the East and the West?
Zhang Xinbin:The Chinese surname culture is based on the specific historical conditions of the Chinese farming society, and forms the unique cultural phenomena, cultural beliefs, cultural ties, and cultural paths of the Chinese culture, which are different from Western culture. “Surname” reflects the differences between Eastern and Western cultures to the greatest extent: Easterners pay attention to family, and Westerners pay attention to individuals.
The East Asian circle, including China, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries, is a representative of Eastern culture. In Eastern culture, the surname comes first and the first name comes after. The “surname” represents the family, and the “first name” represents the individual. The individual is a member of the family and shares the prosperity and decline with the family. This is quite different from the cultural tradition of advocating individuals and freedom in Western culture, where the first name comes first and the last name comes after.
Data map: 2020 is the 3159th anniversary of Jiang Taigong’s birth. Representatives of Jiang Taigong’s descendants from all over China gathered in Zibo, the ancient capital of Qi, to pay homage to their ancestors.Zhao Xiaoshe
The phenomenon of the Chinese people’s family and country isomorphism is based on collective and national goals as the highest pursuit. The Chinese emphasize team spirit in doing things, keep a group for warmth, and “everyone gathers firewood with high flames.” The Chinese follow the ancestral motto of “no change of name, no change of surname”, and pay great attention to the inheritance of family culture.
From the concept of family to a symbol of family culture, Chinese surname culture, as a spiritual symbol and historical symbol, is a unique cultural form in China.
Reporter from China News Service: Although the Eastern and Western cultures are different, they all have the concept of “root”. What are the similarities and differences in the understanding and understanding of “root” between the East and the West?
Zhang Xinbin:Although there are differences between Eastern and Western cultures, everyone faces the same philosophical question: Who am I? Where am i from Where am i going? This has nothing to do with the specific surname culture. As long as it is human, it will face this problem.
The earliest starting point for the worldwide root-seeking activities in recent decades was the spread of the novel “Roots” written by the black American writer Alex Harry in 1976. Although Harry was talking about the root search of the family, not the root search of the surname, he has awakened the consciousness of seeking roots among overseas Chinese.
Overseas Chinese and Chinese people usually have two communication platforms, one is the hometown association, and the other is the surname culture (clan association). These two platforms bring together overseas Chinese and Chinese people, take root and develop locally, and thrive. But no matter where people are, their “zong roots” are in their ancestral (home) country, which cannot be changed at any time.
Falling leaves return to their roots, Fengcheng swords back. Many old overseas Chinese who wandered for half their lives in a foreign country told their children to place their ashes in the land of their ancestors before they died. For the children of China at home and abroad, “root” is a spiritual symbol, which inspires them to turn to “hometown” and love “roots.”
China News Service: How does the culture of Chinese surnames play a role in exchanges at home and abroad?
Zhang Xinbin:In the exchanges at home and abroad, the surname culture can play a unique role as a “bond”, enhance its appeal to overseas Chinese, and then drive its neighbors to actively participate in friendly exchanges with China.
Taking Henan as an example, efforts can be made from at least five aspects: The first is the culture of the ancestors of the Chinese humanities, that is, the culture of the ancestors of the Chinese humanities represented by the two emperors of the Yan and the Yellow Emperors. The ceremony of worshipping the ancestors in Huangdi’s hometown has become an important platform for overseas Chinese to find their roots. The second is to find the roots of the surnames represented by the ancestral roots of the surnames. Among the 100 surnames sorted by population, 78 surnames originated in Henan or part of their origins in Henan. The third is to search for the roots of the surnames of the county, through the unique county and hall names in the Chinese surname culture, such as “Hongnong Yang Family”, “Yingchuan Chen Family”, “Henan Qiu Family”, “Ji Jun Sun Family”, and “Chen Liu Xie Family” “Etc., to increase affinity for overseas Chinese. The fourth is the Fujian-Taiwan ancestral land represented by “Guangzhou Gushi”, and the Hakka roots “rooted in Heluo” represented by Luoyang. Fifth, celebrities seek root resources. Henan is rich in celebrity resources, especially the ancient sages. The attraction of celebrity resources can strengthen the spiritual communication and connection between overseas Chinese and Chinese, and promote exchanges at home and abroad.
In addition, activities such as the “Root-seeking Summer Camp” have been fully carried out to attract more Chinese youths to come to China, learn about China and feel China, and at the same time pass on the excellent traditional culture of China and the development and changes of China.
Data map: The ancestor worship ceremony of the Winter Clothes Festival held in Dahuashu, Hongdong, Shanxi. For more than 600 years, there has been an endless stream of immigrant descendants who have returned to the big locust tree to find roots and worship their ancestors.Photo courtesy of Hongdong Dahuaishu Scenic Area
China News Agency reporter: After thousands of years of evolution, how should we understand the culture of Chinese surnames in the new era?
Zhang Xinbin:After thousands of years of development and evolution of Chinese surnames, the narrow concept of family surnames has gradually faded, and the cultural bond and symbolic meaning have been strengthened. Take genealogy as an example. In ancient times, outsiders could not intervene in the compilation of the genealogy, and the clan chief was in charge of the secrets without revealing others; in modern times, experts can be invited to intervene in the compilation of the genealogy, and family members can also participate in the compilation, forming a unique family cultural phenomenon .
Genealogy is the carrier of family culture and even surname culture. Sort out surnames through family tree revision, clarify the context and lineage, and inherit a good family tradition. Surname culture is the foundation of Chinese culture. The surname culture gives full play to the positive energy of family tradition and family precepts, and plays a positive role in enhancing national cohesion, enhancing cultural identity, and establishing a correct outlook on life. So far, the connotation of surname culture has become richer and more valuable.
In recent years, the purpose of seeking roots for surnames has also changed a lot. From seeking roots to find ancestors, to now seeking roots for the promotion of traditional Chinese culture, surname culture embodies the greatest consensus of Chinese people in the world, and can also be used to achieve the great unity and unity of the Chinese nation. The complete reunification of the motherland plays a unique role. (over)
About the interviewee:
Zhang Xinbin, male, director of the Institute of History and Archaeology, Henan Academy of Social Sciences, a second-level researcher. He is also the vice president of the Chinese Society of Pre-Qin History, the executive director of the Heluo Culture Research Association of China, and the executive director of the Research Center for Recognizing the Origins of Surnames and Celebrities in Henan Province. Presided over more than 10 national and provincial social science funds, research areas include the Yellow River changes and the Yellow River culture, pre-Qin history and archaeology, surname culture and Heluo culture, etc.
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