Every nation has its own totem, such as China's dragon, Russian bear and American eagle. Totems were originally given to clans and badges by primitive people because the worship of nature could not explain scientific phenomena. How did it later become the "patron saint" of surnames?
Totem was originally a simple painting, which originated from primitive times. In order to seek protection, they will regard a special plant with extraordinary value or an unusually brave animal as a protector. Surname totem is not the same, but colorful, which benefits from the variety of surnames. In ancient times, totem was not only the deified object worshipped by the ancients, but also the blood relationship, which came down in one continuous line and United people with the same surname. Totem was what the family wanted.
First, China surname totem
Before we mention the surname totem, we have to mention hundreds of surnames in China. Hundreds of surnames are world-famous and have been passed down to this day, which is of great significance. There are hundreds of surnames and many totem surnames. It is a witness that the ancients passed down in the long river of history with diligence and wisdom.
Tracing back to the development history of hundreds of surnames, surnames have maintained a history of nearly five thousand years. From the initial three surnames to today's hundred surnames, it is conceivable that the ancients attached importance to consanguinity. In times of war, decline is normal. Why have surnames developed in many cultures so far? Really benefit from the secret protection of totem god? Why are surnames associated with totems?
To solve the totem mystery of surnames, we must first understand the meaning of surnames and understand their past lives.
The predecessor evolution of 1. surname
The first is the evolution of Chinese characters. Looking up relevant historical materials, we can know that surnames, as an integral part of Chinese characters, have a long history of evolution: from Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Shang Dynasty to simplified characters in modern society, the evolution of these Chinese characters has witnessed historical progress, from the most intuitive image description to the most abstract advanced simplified characters, and its development is the progress of each era.
Surnames are not so much totems as Chinese characters are like some primitive animals and plants. The ancients used pictures to record the strange things that happened at that time, which is why the predecessors of simplified characters are very similar to some creatures, such as cattle, horses and sheep, which were called beasts in ancient times. After they evolved into surnames, they have a certain mystery, so it is not surprising that surnames are guarded by wild animals.
2. The spiritual sustenance of the ancients
In primitive times, the ancients did not know what the origin of human beings was, let alone why biological evolution was. In order to firmly bind blood relatives, they choose animals with infinite power or plants with high value as family totems, which is an idea and a sustenance, and enhances people's sense of responsibility and mission with invisible bondage. Totem is the ancient people's expectation for future generations.
In the feudal society with strict class, children are the foundation of a family's development and growth, and surname, as a direct link of family blood inheritance, is related to the future of family members, and its importance is self-evident. In the era of frequent wars, people have no choice but to pin their hopes on the protection of the gods, and keeping their surnames means keeping their blood.
This is what people used to say later: hold your head three feet high and have a god, and always fear life. Fear of totems can be reassuring. Some totems have disappeared in historical changes. Can the totem with your surname be passed down to this day?
Second, the plant totem surname
1. Chen totem
Chen Totem is a hieroglyph of the astronomical center of Tai Hao and its descendants. Its overall image consists of the sun and trees. Chen Guren is grateful for the sunshine and shade, so they set the totem as the sun and trees.
The sun is moving, and Chen people feel different degrees of sunshine. Combined with the observed law of the sun rising, that is, "the East is the day in the wood, which is also called Fusang and Jian Mu". This totem is like a landscape painting, full of Chen Xianmin's beautiful expectations for the future. Chen's totem is wood and his protector is mulberry.
2. Yang totem
Yang Totem is the name of Muyelao, one of the three ancient Miao ethnic groups. Young people are brave and loyal to defend their country, which is slightly reflected in their totems. Yang's ancestor was a soldier, Chiyou, who was brave and skillful in martial arts, so the force value of later generations would not be bad.
Yang's traditional Chinese characters are composed of "wood" and "yi", and its totem is a hibiscus tree. Shan Hai Jing once described Yang's totem like this: "The hibiscus tree grows in the Tang Valley of the East China Sea." Facing the East China Sea, Fusang thrives and its upward meaning is amazing.
The Tang Valley was called "Yanggu Valley" in ancient times, and the Yang family hoped that their family would be as prosperous as the sun and never wither. Yang's totem is the sun, and his protector is the sun.
3. Lin Totem
Lin surname is a branch of Dongyi, which was called "Chen" after moving south. Lin surname is a branch of Feng family, also called Brahma. Lin's totem image is that two trees grow side by side, tall and straight. It was mainly obtained when the son of Bigan took refuge in Changlin Mountain in the late Shang Dynasty. Beagan's son is suffering in the political whirlpool. He hopes that his descendants will be as valuable as mulberry trees, open politically and indifferent to fame and fortune.
The "wood" of forest, like Chen and Yang's "wood", is "building wood, helping mulberry and supporting wood". In ancient times, mulberry can solve the problem of food and clothing and shade, and it is an indispensable "essential tree" for many families to survive. The totem of Lin is two trees, and the protector is Mulberry.
Say three represents the theory of plant totem surname, and then look at animal totem.
Third, the animal totem surname
1. Liu Totem
Liu's surname is the family name of the snipe family of Yan Di Shennong of Kuikui nationality. Liu's surname runs through the long river of history, which is not only the imperial surname, but also the most popular surname. Liu's descendants are gentle and good at exploring. What is its totem?
The totem of Liu's surname consists of an old man holding a meat cleaver to carve the weather in spring and autumn, just like a "farm map". In ancient times when science and technology were backward, the Liu family was full of curiosity about exploring the unknown world, hoping to leave the operating rules of everything in the world, so they simply wrote "stay". It is not surprising that the Liu family has such a hardworking ancestor and developed in the later period. Its totem is carved pictures by elders, and its patron saint is "elders".
2. Zhang Totem
Zhang surname is a totem symbol created by Emperor Yan's public civilization. As the most popular surname, Zhang's talents emerge one after another, and generations of warriors emerge. Its totem is that people hold bows and arrows. The man in the picture is surnamed Gong. As an ancestor of Zhang, he is full of courage for everything in the world. He hopes to use a bow to help Zhang's descendants cut off thorns. The bow in his hand represents the image symbol of Tanggu classic in which the sky rises and falls into Yugu Valley. The string is the horizon, representing the dividing line between day and night. This surname is mainly bow. Zhang's totem is "Struggle Map" and the patron saint is Gong Jia.
3. The totem of Huang surname
The initial characters of yellow characters are hieroglyphics, and its totem looks like a tortoise with its limbs spread out.
The simplified Chinese surname "Huang" has more or less a turtle shape, which is used as a surname and has the charm of Chinese characters. Lord protector, surnamed Huang, is a tortoise, much like what ancient ancestors often decorated. After careful study by relevant experts, it is found that this is the original text of the word "yellow".
4. Zhao Tuteng
Zhao, a native of Dongyi, is also called Ren. Its totem is very complex, with tall giants running around in human form, and there are also human forms dedicated to "Xiao" in the confession. Many people will be curious about Xiao.
Xiao is the predecessor of Xuanniao Swallow, and Zhao Fu's ancestor is Xuanniao, so Zhao's father inherited Xiao's totem. The totem of swallows and people is mainly to commemorate Zhou Youwang's reward. Zhao's totem is mainly a swallow, and the patron saint is a mysterious swallow.
Summary:
Chinese surnames have a long history, and the totems of many surnames are full of commemorative significance. For example, Li's totem is a tiger, Jiang's totem is a sheep, Mao's totem is a bird and Cui's totem is a short-tailed bird. In this ocean of surnames, every totem has an indelible value. Totem image, as the symbol and symbol of the group, is the infinite expectation of the ancients for future generations. Did you find your last name "Protector"?