The cover of the family tree
The form of the family tree
The main form of the family tree is called a genealogy diagram, which looks like this
The genealogy diagram is divided into Pagoda-style map, dendrological map, linear map and ultimatum-style map (without pictures, the deeds of ancestors were described in words)
Tree-line map
Linear map
p>Let’s talk about it again, why do we need to write a family tree?
The purpose is to record the glorious history of your family, as well as record the history and development of the family.
Usually when a family reaches a certain level of development, a respected member of the family will ask whether it’s time for us to write a family tree. Everyone decided unanimously, and if the ancestral hall has enough money, they will take the money directly from the ancestral hall and start writing the family tree. If the ancestral hall has no money, then everyone can donate money. If it is the first genealogy of the family, then the seniority and other matters should be decided by highly respected people.
Nowadays, many people do not have family trees, which may be due to migration or other reasons. If this is the case, there are two ways to solve it. One is to go back to the original ancestral home and ask for a family tree; the other is One is to rebuild the family tree.
What is the content of the family tree?
1. Write clearly the origin of the surname.
It means the origin, migration, etc. of the same family name. China has five thousand years of history and ancient roots. Without a family tree, it would be difficult for future generations to figure it out. Each set of "Family Trees" must identify the origin of one's own surname, so that it can be inherited from generation to generation and the family roots can be passed down for thousands of years.
2. Write down the hall number clearly.
The name of the hall is usually taken from the name of the county, or it is created by the ancestor.
Generally speaking, the name of the hall is mostly taken from the name of the county. The county is the establishment of the administrative area during the Qin and Han Dynasties. The name of the county is also taken from the name of the county, or the name of the vassal state or the local government. , state, county name. There are also many people with the same surname, such as Wang and Hu, whose surnames are both "Qinghetang".
Self-created, for example: Yang's "Four Knowledge Hall" means "knowledge from heaven, knowledge from earth, knowledge from me, knowledge from son". In many cases when rebuilding family trees, one can only use self-created hall names.
3. Family motto and family history.
Many family trees record many famous sayings about managing a family and educating children, which have been passed down to later generations, such as the familiar family mottos of the Yan family and Zhu Xi’s mottos about managing a family.
Family mottos generally include the following contents:
(1) Pay attention to family laws and national laws
(2) Harmony among clans and villages
(3), be filial to parents, respect elders
(4), comply with etiquette and correct names
(5), ancestor worship and tomb sacrifice procedures
4. Biographies of people with merit and character.
Generally divided into: biographies, internal biographies and external biographies. Biography is the biography of the meritorious men in the family; internal biography is the biography of the virtuous women in the family; external biography is the biography of the married virtuous women in the family. Biographies are often accompanied by a portrait of the person or a story about the person. The wording should be truthful and plain, and the most taboo is to use flattering words. This is also an important criterion for evaluating the level of a "family biography".
5. Poems and writings by family members.
The main content is poems and works written by famous people in the family. It also collects letters and letters from people of the clan and outsiders, as well as classics, tables, inscriptions, letters, etc. Some also include prints, portraits, Version works, famous calligraphy, songs, etc. When supplementing this part, it is even more necessary to carefully select and enter it carefully, so as to pass on the most valuable and representative documents to future generations.
6. Ancestor pictures, old photos, Feng Shui diagrams, etc.
The ancestor pictures and old photos here are easy to understand. Among them, the Feng Shui pictures mainly include pictures of ancestral halls and tombs. Ancestral halls are places where ancestors are worshiped, so they record and publish the layout of the building, describe the actual shape, and even record the geographical location in detail. Some genealogies also include pictures of their former residence and village.
Finally, can girls be included in the family tree?
In ancient times, it was believed that if a girl marries someone else, she becomes a member of another family. However, there are exceptions. Women who never marry have the opportunity to be included in the family tree. Of course, girls have no right to own the family tree. . However, there are exceptions to modern genealogy editing. Because the younger generations may all be girls, there are also cases where girls save, pass on, and edit family trees.