(1) Comrade Li Ji from the Genealogy Research Society of the Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences said: (This comrade is an expert who specializes in collecting genealogies and has published various monographs) There are three sources of surname revision. After one group entered the Pass for the Manchus, the original Manchu "Xiujia" was changed to the Han surname "Xiu". The second branch belongs to the Shaohao clan since ancient times. The son of the Shaohao clan, Xiu Wen, was the Xuan Ming Master during the reign of Emperor Ku, and his descendants took Xiu as their surname. (Note: Xuanming, the ancient people called the god of rain and water Xuanming. Master Xuanming is the official in charge of water conservancy and climate.) It is also said that Xi is the assistant of Xiu. (Note: Xiu assisted Xiu in water management.) The descendants of Xiu and Xi are all named Xiu. The third branch comes from "Ji surname". After the Gao Yang clan, there was "Xiu Jixi" (note: Gao Yang clan was Ji Xu) who became the water officer of the Emperor Ku, named Xuanming clan. The descendants of Xiu and Xi all have the surname Xiu.
(2) "Zuo Zhuan" says: "The Shaohao family has four uncles: 'Chong, Gai, Xiu, Xiu, Xiu and Xi are Xuanming...'"
(3) The book "Dialectics of Ancient and Modern Surname Books" says: "Xiu's name, "Biography of Yingxian" says: 'Comed from Shaohao's son Xiu, who was the emperor's Xuanming master and water officer. Later, his family name was Yan'. (4) "Huainanzi·Xiu Wu Xun" said: "There are Feng Xi, Xiu Snake, and Xiu Snake, then Xiu Snake tribe and Xiu Snake." The Yu, Xiu Yang, and Xiu tribes are all branches of the Xiu tribe."
(5) "Historical Records" says: "The ancestors of the Qin State were named Ying, and their descendants were entrusted to various places and sealed the country. The name is the surname. Among them is "Xiu Yu" (6) The genealogy of Xiu in Changting, Fujian Province says: "The surname Xiu comes from the surname Xiu of Tianshui Xuanming". /p>
(7) The "Dictionary of Surnames" published in Taiwan said: "The Xiu family is a descendant of Emperor Yan."
(8) In 2006, the author Xiu Yangbiao published a website on Xiu surnames Said: "In the genealogy chart before Luling, it is said that 'the Xiu family came from Tianshui, and Yuanmingzhizhi became the Xiu family'." The statement is the same as the genealogy book in Changting, Fujian.
Analysis of the above eight materials
(1) First clarify the bloodline with Shaohao. According to "Historical Records" and "Cihai", the lineage of the Shaohao family starting from the emperor is: Emperor, Xuanxiao: ①歂Xu (i.e. Gaoyang family) ②Jiji: gave birth to Emperor Ku, who gave birth to his son Shaohao, and Huansheng There are four other sons named: Gai, Zhong, Xiu and Xi. These four are also Shaohao's four uncles.
(2) About "Xuanming Master". Xuan Mingshi is the official in charge of water. One source says that Shaohao's son Xiu Wen was the Xuan Ming Master during Emperor Ku's reign. There is a source of information that says that after the Gao Yang family (namely the Muxu family), there was a "Xiu Jixi" who became the water officer (that is, the Xuanming master) of Emperor Ku (the Gao Xin family). Emperor Ku was the emperor at that time, and he gave birth to a son, Shaohao. Shaohao's son Xiu Wen became Emperor Ku's Xuanming Master, and his grandfather became the water officer. Emperor Ku also has four brothers, namely Gai, Zhong, Xiu, and Xi. Xiu and Xi are also Xuanming masters, and Xi is Xiu's assistant. This means that the two uncles of Shaohao, namely Shaohao's sons, are both Xuanming masters.
From this point of view, when Emperor Ku became emperor, there were three people who were his Xuanming masters. One was Emperor Ku's grandson Xiuwen (son of Shaohao). The other two are Xiu Hexi, the brothers of Emperor Ku. It seems that the water problem was a big problem at that time, and Dayu came to control the water later.
(3) Regarding the Xiu Snake, Xiu Yu, Xiu Sheep and other tribes mentioned in relevant ancient books, their descendants all have the surname Xiu. It may also be a source of the surname Xiu.
(4) Regarding the genealogy books in Changting and Luling that say "the Xiu family comes from Tianshui, Yuan Ming's assistant is the Xiu family" and "the Xiu family comes from Tianshui, Xuanming's assistant is the Xiu family" The two genealogy books say the same thing, which means: Xiu's surname comes from the assistant of Master Xuanming who manages Yueyue'e, and Master Xuanming's assistant is Xiu. Xi's descendants also have the surname Xiu. "Xuan Ming" is the same as "Yuan Ming". In order to avoid the taboo of Xuan Ye, the Qing sage ancestor, the Qing Dynasty always regarded Xuan as Yuan. When the Qing Dynasty revised the genealogy, the character Xuan was changed to the character Yuan. "Tianshui" may not refer to today's Tianshui City, because Tianshui County was only established in the Han Dynasty. "Tian Shui" may refer to natural water, namely rain. "Tianshui" may also be named after this.
(5) Regarding the theory that Xiu’s surname came from the descendants of Emperor Yan, there is very little theory. Only Taiwan’s “Surname Dictionary” says this. However, Emperor Yan, also known as Shennong, was during the period of great development of agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery in ancient China. The book states that Emperor Yan, surnamed Jiang, established his capital in Qufu, present-day Shandong Province. It is the same place where Shaohao's activities take place. It is also possible that some branch tribes descended from Emperor Yan may change their surname to Xiu. In short, Xiu's surname may not only come from the Shaohao family.
(6) About the Manchu surname modification. The Manchu surname modification has a short history, and its origin is very clear. It was the Manchu surname Xiujia who changed it to the surname Xiu. It is common for Manchus to modify their surnames in the Beijing area.
Based on the above materials, there is the most evidence and the greatest reliability that the Han people’s surname comes from the Shaohao family. Specifically, it can be focused on Shaohao's son Xiuwen and Shaohao's two uncles Xiuyuxi. They are all water officials of Emperor Ku. In addition, it is possible that the surname Xiu comes from other tribes that use the character Xiu as their name. The ancient Chinese word "xiu" means to govern. Xiuyu and Xiuyang have the meaning of governing and managing fish and sheep, or tribes that make a living by fishing and herding sheep. Later, it is possible that these tribes transformed into the compound surnames of Xiuyu or Xiuyang.