As for the origin of the surname Li and the ancestor who got the surname, a very legendary story is told in "Northern History·Preface" by Li Yanshou of the Tang Dynasty and "New Book of Tang" by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi of the Northern Song Dynasty: The surname Li is derived from the surname Ying, a descendant of the Gaoyang family of Zhuanxu, one of the Five Emperors, and a descendant of Gaotao. Gaotao served as Dali (chief justice) during the reign of Emperor Yao. His descendants inherited the post of Dali and took the official position as their surname, Li. At the end of the Shang Dynasty, a descendant of the Li family named Li Zheng was killed because he angered King Zhou with his direct advice. Li Zheng's wife, Qi He, was from the Chen State. The Qi He family fled back to the Chen State with their son Li Lizhen. When they reached Yihou Xu, the mother and son were starving, and they managed to save their lives by eating muzi (tree fruits). In order to thank Muzi and avoid being pursued by King Zhou, Li Zhen concealed her original surname. Because "Li" has the same pronunciation as "Li", she changed her family name to Li, and Li Lizhen was the ancestor of the surname Li. Li Lizhen and her son returned to Chen State and settled in Ku County, not far from Chen State. Li Lizhen also married a daughter of the Qihe family of Chen Guo, and gave birth to a son, Changzu, who served as a doctor in the state of Chen. Li Chang's ancestor was Tongde, and Tongde's great-grandson Shuozong was granted a fief in Ku County by King Kang of Zhou. Li Qian, the fifth-generation grandson of Li Shuozong, served as a censor in the Western Zhou Dynasty. He married Yishou's daughter Yingfu and gave birth to Li Er. "Historical Records" records: "Laozi was a native of Qurenli, Lixiang, Chuku County. His surname was Li, his given name was Er, and his courtesy name was Dan. He also had the history of Zhou Shou Tibetan." Some ancient books say that Laozi Li Er is the 11th generation grandson of Li Lizhen. , and some surname books say that Li Lizhen is the sixth ancestor of Lao Tzu.
There is another saying that is more mythical. "Historical Records·Zhengyi" quotes "Xuanmiao Neipian" and says: "Mother Li was pregnant for eighty-one years, and she was born under the Xiaoyao plum tree. She cut off her left armpit and gave birth to her. "Historical Records Suoyin" said that Laozi "was born with a plum tree, because he took it as his surname." Today, there is still a folk legend in Luyi that Mother Li gave birth under a plum tree for eighty-one years, and Li Er was already white when she was born. The old man with gray hair, Li's mother called out: "My old son", so he was named "Laozi". As soon as Laozi was born, he pointed at the plum tree with his finger and took his surname as Li.
The above story about the origin of the surname Li is too vivid and legendary, which will inevitably arouse doubts in future generations. Historians believe that these legends originated in the Tang Dynasty and were based on attempts to elevate the family status of the Tang Dynasty and forcibly adhere to them. They are subjective conjectures and are not very reliable. Furthermore, figures before Laozi, such as Li Zheng and Li Lizhen, are not found in ancient pre-Qin books, so it is doubtful whether they really existed.
So, what is the true origin of the surname Li?
In fact, the origin of the surname Li is not complicated, but it has nothing to do with the "Plum Tree" or the legend of "Eating Muzi". The Li family name comes from the surname Li. Their ancestors were officials in Dali, and their descendants "take officials as their surname" and become the Li family name. Before the Spring and Autumn Period, the family name was Li, or Li. Because Li and Li had the same pronunciation, the surname was Li during the Warring States Period. As early as before the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Wang Fu of the Eastern Han Dynasty's "Qian Fu Lun: Zhi's Surnames" and Ying Shao's "Customs and Meanings: Surnames" have verified that the Li family and the Li family have the same pronunciation, but there is no mention of Shimuzi. As for the change of the Li family name, it can be seen that there were no deified legends in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
The surname Li originated in the Spring and Autumn Period and was very common during the Warring States Period. There was Lishi in the Spring and Autumn Period, and people such as Li Ke, Li Ge, and Li Xi were recorded. Li Ge was an important minister of Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ge was the Taishi of the Lu State, and Li Xi was the official of the Zheng State. The Li family members during the Warring States Period include Li Er, Li Li, Li Kui, Li Bing, Li Mu, Li Si, etc., and their traces can be found in many countries. It is particularly worth noting that Li Li, Li Kui, and Li Si were all former ministers of law enforcement, which have the same meaning as "Li (Li)". Li Li served as Dali during the reign of Duke Wen of Jin. Li Kui presided over the reform in the Wei State in the early years of the Warring States Period. Li Kui pioneered the reform movement in the Warring States Period. The "Book of Laws" he formulated was a culmination of the laws of the previous generations and had an important influence on the laws of later generations. Li Si served as a court lieutenant in the Qin State and was in charge of Qin law. He "clarified the laws and made laws and regulations". He was the main planner of the legal politics of the Qin Dynasty. The judicial theories and practices of these early figures with the surname Li inherited the historical tradition of the Li (Li) family.
——The distant ancestors of the Li surname Gaotao and the branches of the Ying surname
Most of the surname works since the Eastern Han Dynasty trace the origin of the Li (Li) family back to Gaotao, treating Gaotao as Li's distant ancestor. So what kind of historical figure was Gao Tao?
Gaotao is also written as Jiu Yao in ancient historical books, and he is a figure in ancient history legends. Like many characters from the legendary era, he is both a real tribal leader and also represents a tribal name. Gaotao lived in the eras of Yao, Shun and Yu. There is an article "Gaotao Mo" in "Shangshu", which records many of Gao Tao's remarks on political affairs with Shun and Yu. According to "Historical Records·Xia Benji", Gaotao was almost able to become the emperor after Shun Yu. Emperor Yu had intended to secede in Gaotao, but gave up because of Gaotao's death. These legends reflect Gaotao's prominent status and influence before the Xia Dynasty.
During the reign of Emperor Shun, Gaotao's official position was "Dali". According to legend, "Gao Tao made punishment" and he was the founder of Chinese criminal law. Legend has it that Gao Tao specially trained a unicorn beast named Chu. This strange beast had a special function, that is, it could distinguish between good and evil and true from false. When it encounters a guilty person, it will strike with its sharp horn; when it discovers that someone is telling lies, it will become furious and frightening. Gaotao used this strange beast to solve the case. A myth is a myth after all, but this mythical story brings people to the distant ancient times, as if they can see the upright and decisive image of Gao Tao.
Gaotao's original surname was Yan, and his son Boyi was given the surname Ying by Emperor Shun. There are many branches of the Ying surname, among which Zhao, Xu, Huang, Jiang, Qin, etc. are all popular Chinese surnames today.
The Zhao family was formed in the Western Zhou Dynasty. Its ancestor is Boyi and its founder is Zaofu.
Zaofu was a famous expert in driving carriages in the Western Zhou Dynasty. King Mu of Zhou gave him the city of Zhao. From then on, the Zaofu family took Zhao as their surname. During the reign of King You of Zhou Dynasty, Uncle Zhao, the descendant of Zaofu, took away the officials of Zhou Dynasty and Jin Dynasty. From then on, the descendants of Zhao family became the officials of Jin Dynasty for generations. In the early years of the Warring States Period, the Zhao family united with the Wei family and the Han family to divide the Jin into Jin and establish the Zhao State. The State of Zhao was destroyed by the State of Qin, and the royal family, nobles and common people all took the name of the country and called them Zhao.
The Huang family established the Huang Kingdom in Huangchuan, Henan Province, around the end of the Shang Dynasty and the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Chu State was the dominant state, and only Huang State and Sui State dared to compete. In 648 BC, Huang was destroyed by Chu. After the fall of the country, the descendants of the Huang Kingdom took the name of their country and became the Huang family.
The Xu family is a descendant of Boyi's son Ruomu. Because Boyi assisted Dayu in controlling floods, Emperor Shun not only officially gave him the surname Ying, but also married him to a girl named Yao from her own clan. Yao girl later gave birth to two sons, the youngest of whom was named Ruomu. Because his father had meritorious service, he was granted the title of Xu and established the Xu Kingdom. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Xu was destroyed by the State of Wu, and the descendants of the State of Xu were called the Xu family.
The Qin family comes from the surname Ying. There was a descendant of Boyi named Daluo. His concubine Feizi was granted a vassal state in Qinting, Longxi by King Xiao of Zhou Dynasty. He was allowed to restore the surname Ying and was called Daluo. Qin Ying. Qin later became the leader of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period and further unified the country. After the fall of Qin, the descendants of the royal family took the country as their surname and called it the Qin family.
The Jiang family comes from the surname Ying. Boyi was passed down for more than ten generations. By the Western Zhou Dynasty, Boyi's descendants were granted the title of Jiang. They were destroyed by the Chu State in the Spring and Autumn Period. Their descendants took the name of the country and gave them the surname Jiang. Jiang State was located in the area of ??present-day Zhengyang County, Henan Province.
In addition, people with the surname Ying also have the Ma family. The Ma family was formed in the late Warring States period, from the Zhao family, and its ancestor was Zhao She. Zhao She was a native of Zhao State during the Warring States Period. He was a general of Zhao State and was named Ma Fujun for his meritorious service. The descendants of Zhao She took their surname as the Mafu surname, and later changed the name "Fu" to the Ma surname.
——The great ancestor Laozi Li Er
Speaking of the surname Li, of course we must mention the great ancestor of the Li family - Laozi Li Er. Lao Tzu is a great thinker in ancient China and the undisputed father of Chinese philosophy. The descendants of the Li surname all over the world regard Laozi Li Er as their first ancestor, and Luyi is the ancestral land of the Li surname for thousands of years.
The first person to write a biography for Lao Tzu was Ma Qian of Taishi Company. There are more than 400 words in the biography of Laozi in "Historical Records". The first sentence at the beginning says: "Laozi was from Qurenli, Lixiang, Chuku County." Qurenli, Lixiang, is now Taiqinggong Town, Luyi County. It is unknown when the Laozi Temple in Taiqing Palace, Laozi’s hometown, was built. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, due to the rise of Taoism, the incense in the Laozi Temple was already very popular. In the eighth year of Yanxi (165) of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Huan expanded Laozi. The expanded Laozi temple was divided into two palaces, the front palace to worship Laozi, and the back palace to worship Laozi. Mother Li.
Laozi has been regarded as the ancestor of the Li surname since the Tang Dynasty. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties of the Three Kingdoms, the Central Plains implemented the nine-rank Zhongzheng system, forming a gentry system. The appointment of officials paid special attention to family background, and high-ranking families enjoyed special honors. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the four Han surnames of Fanyang's Lu family, Cui family, Xingyang Zheng family, and Taiyuan Wang family were determined to be the highest families. Li Yuan, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, originated from Longxi. After he entered the Central Plains, his family status with the surname Li was not high. In order to improve his family status, the easiest way he took was to get married to the most famous historical figure of the Han nationality with the surname Li, so he approached Lao Tzu Li Er. In the third year after Li Yuan ascended the throne, he named Li Er as his ancestor, built a palace in Luyi, Li Er's birthplace, according to the specifications of an emperor's residence, and designated Laozi's birthday (February 25) as the Advent Day. Tang Gaozong Li Zhi and Tang Xuanzong Li Longji both went to Luyi to pay homage to their ancestor Li Er. Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty also personally annotated the "Tao Te Ching" and promulgated it to the world, and carved a stone in the Taiqing Palace, called the "Tang Kaiyuan Emperor Shenwu's Annotation Stele of the Tao Te Ching". This stele is now stored in the Taiqing Palace. In addition to these two Li and Tang emperors, Wu Zetian and Zhao Heng, the Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, also came to Luyi to worship Laozi.
The surname Li originated in Luyi, Chendi. It lived and multiplied here, developed and grew, and gradually became a prominent family in China, playing a huge role in the history of the Chinese nation.
——The establishment of the Li Tang Dynasty and the prosperity of the Li family in Longxi
In the old days, two couplets like this were often hung in front of the ancestral hall of the family named Li: One is "A longxi family, a famous family under the pillar" "The second is "The morals of the classics are relegated to immortals." In addition to praising the founder of the Li family, the first couplet mentions the emergence of the flying general Li Guang and the Longxi Li family who established the prosperous Tang Dynasty. It is also from the poet Li Bai of the Li family in Longxi. The Li family has celebrities from generation to generation and has created a glorious history.
The "Historical Records·Biography of Laozi" writes about Laozi as "the dragon has no head or tail", but the record of the family history of Laozi's descendants is very detailed: Laozi's son was famous, and his sect was a Wei general. Zongzi notes, notes the uterus, Gongxuansunjia, Li Jia was an official during the reign of Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty. Li Jie, Li Jie's son, became Taifu Wang Ang of Jiaoxi and lived in Qidi. This shows that during the Western Han Dynasty, a branch of the Li family had moved to Shandong. According to the records of "New Tang Book: Clan Lineage" and "Prime Minister Lineage", Li Er's 8th grandson Li Tan moved to Zhao and Qin during the Warring States Period, and this faction later divided into two branches. The eldest son of one branch, Li Chong, served as the governor of Longxi and Duke of Nanzheng. He lived in Longxi and later became the ancestor of the Li family in Longxi. The fourth son, Li Ji, lived in Zhaojun and became the ancestor of the Li family in Zhaojun. These two groups prospered and became famous families. The Li family in Zhao County later included the general Li Mu of the State of Zhao, the general Li Zuoche of the late Qin Dynasty, the ministers Li Jifu and Li Deyu of the Tang Dynasty, and the writer Li Yangbing. The Li family in Longxi lived in Longxi, today's Gansu Province since Li Chong, and have been officials for generations. His grandson Li trusted the Qin general and was granted the title of Marquis of Longxi. Li Xin's descendants, "Flying General" Li Guang, his sons Li Jiao, Li Gan, and grandson Li Ling were all General of the Western Han Dynasty.
During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, Li Hao, Li Guang's 16th generation grandson, established the Xiliang Kingdom. Li Hao's 16th generation grandson is Tang Gaozu Li Yuan.
In 618 AD, Li Yuan established the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was the heyday of China's feudal society. As the "national surname", the surname Li was the most noble surname and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty was also a golden period in the history of the development of the surname Li.
In the Tang Dynasty, the Li family was regarded as the "national surname", and the population growth of the Li family showed unprecedented prosperity. There are two main reasons for the rapid expansion of the population surnamed Li: The first reason is the prosperity of Fan, the descendant of the Li Tang clan. The special political status of the Li Tang clan created superior conditions for their development and reproduction. There were 19 emperors in the Tang Dynasty. The emperors had many wives and concubines, and naturally they also had many sons. These princes were entrusted to various places and became local nobles. In addition, there were dozens of Li's prime ministers, each forming a branch, and their descendants multiplied, adding a lot of population to the Li family. The second reason for the expansion of the population with the surname Li is the granting of the surname. In order to consolidate his rule, Emperor Li Tang often gave people with foreign surnames "national surnames" by means of rewards, favors, and win-wins to make them more loyal to the Li Tang Dynasty. This also added many new members to the Li surname. Due to the supreme status of the "national surname", it is also a supreme honor for those who are given the surname. According to historical records, those who were given the surname Li in the Tang Dynasty included the Han nationality Xu, Bing, An, Du, Hu, Hong, Guo, Ma, Zhang, Dong, and Luo, as well as the ethnic minorities Xianyu, Abu, Adi, Shili, Zhu Xieshi and so on.
After the Li family developed greatly in the Tang Dynasty, their descendants began to spread throughout the country. Li Bai, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, once wrote a poem because people with the surname Li were attracted by many tribes and said: "I have millions of leaves of Li, and my branches are all over Zhongzhou." It can be seen that during the Tang Dynasty, the surname Li was already widely distributed. During the Song Dynasty, there were approximately 5.6 million people with the surname Li, accounting for approximately 7.2% of the country's population. It was the second most popular surname in the Song Dynasty after the surname Wang. The distribution in the country is mainly concentrated in Hebei, Sichuan, Henan, and Shandong. These four provinces account for about 44% of the total population with the surname Li in the country. During the Ming Dynasty, there were about 5.1 million people with the surname Li, accounting for about 44% of the total population in the country. 5.5% of the population, second only to Wang and Zhang, was the third most common surname in the Ming Dynasty, and was mainly distributed in Jiangxi, Shanxi and Shandong provinces. The contemporary population with the surname Li has reached more than 95 million, making it the most common surname in the country, accounting for approximately 7.9% of the country's population. Its distribution across the country is currently mainly concentrated in Henan, Sichuan, and Shandong provinces. Today, the surname Li can be found in every land of the Chinese nation, and even in every corner of the world.
In addition to being the origin of the surnames such as Li, Chen, Hu, Tian, ??Sun, Yao, and Yuan, Chendi is also the place where the Xie family of Yangxia (now Taikang), the Yuan family of Chen County, and the Yang family The prestigious place of the Xia He family, the Yin family in Changping (now Xihua), the Ying family in Nandun (southwest of today's Xiangcheng), and the Wanqiu Fu family. If the population with these surnames were added up, the numbers would be staggering. The surnames and families that came out of the Chenchu ??area, as the main source of the blood of the Chinese nation, merged into the mighty river of the Chinese nation and made great contributions to the formation and development of national culture. The blood of the Chinese nation is thicker than water, and the descendants of Yan and Huang are connected by roots.
The rich cultural resources of surnames in Chen attract many Chinese at home and abroad to come to Chenxungen to worship their ancestors and recognize their ancestors