“Xun Gen, Ying Qing”

“Xun Gen” brings profound significance towards Chinese, exhibiting Chinese families’ concern towards the traditional cultures and the courage to pursue their ancestral values. It also signifies that Chinese must be grateful and not being forgetful of the historical origin of their own cultures. “Ying Qing” refers to ‘yearning’, it describes the feelings shall be owned by the Chinese in the process of “Xun Gen” and being enthusiastic in searching of a root that is closely related to our heart.

 

The traditional meaning of “Xun Gen” is often related to the recognition and pursuit of the ancestors, which is also linked to the origins of surnames. Nowadays there exists plenty of Chinese surnames. In the development of human civilization, the clan tribes evolve to form millions of surnames. The clansmen who share common ancestors are now distributed in every corner of the world due to the evolution, differentiation and migration of surnames. Nevertheless, there is always a “Gen” that links all of us. “Gen” originates from blood relations, which is not solely a feeling that cannot be vanished, but also the solid representation of kinships. The fundamental meaning of “Xun Gen” is to pursue the pedigree of our surnames. With the sustenance of “Xing Shi”, it can arouse the Chinese the reflection on their roots within their subconscious, thus closely link the clansmen together originated from the same source of surnames.

Being Chinese, we have to discover the origins of our own family through the unique cultural badge of our surnames. This is because surname is a heritage bestowed by our ancestors. It is not only closely related to our life, but also our lifelong commitment. Therefore, Chinese concern over the traditional surnames is also similar to their identity recognition, besides being a cultural cornerstone for shaping common ancestors image, and recounting the origins of their ethnic.

Being part of future generations, we also have to ensure the continuation of the fate brought by these surnames affections and to maintain the inheritance of the surnames cultures. Today, Chinese surnames have been through 5000-6000 years and it is not easy to be bequeathed until now. Hence, we need to appreciate “Xing Shi” this cultural product that has been passed through generations and inherit them to our children. It has to be done to uphold the concept of surnames so as to be rooted deeply in our heart.

 

“Xing Shi” is the sign and symbol of each ethnical blood relations. Chinese surnames are originated in China which is the country to have the earliest usage of surnames traditions. Today, the combination of “Xing Shi” and “Ming” is used to address a Chinese.

“Xing” and “Shi” are actually two different concepts in the past. “Xing” initially being used to represent a title of an ethnic which shares common blood relations, descents and kinships. In the early matriarchal society, most of the “Xing” were originated from the tribe totem or the place where the matriarch resided. According to the ancient literatures, our ancestors’ first intention to apply “Xing” was to identify the presence of any close relation between man and woman to facilitate marriage customs. This is the reason why the appellation of a Chinese must be composed of “Xing”.

Due to tremendous increase in population, a number of new tribes are separated out as branches from their original tribes. In order to differentiate the identities of each other, these tribes assign a symbol for their own use , which is “Shi”. As a symbol of branch from “Xing”, the main usage of “Shi” is to differentiate between aristocrats and commoners.

Today, our so-called “Xing Shi” is the combination of “Xing” and “Shi”, being merged into one since the Qin Dynasty. The cultures of “Xing Shi” not only covers recognition of blood relations, yet it also includes cultural identifications. In the course of a family’s origin, development and evolution, “Xing Shi” has formed distinctive family cultures, for instance genealogy, family rules and education. This is the basis to maintain a family, a surname centripetal force and the cohesion among family members. It even acts as a fundamental in differentiating a family from the others. With the presence of “Xing Shi”, the cultural heritage will gain its sustenance.

Thus, the committee of 19th Secretariat of Mooncake Festival and Cultural Night are to be in the effort of revealing the stories hidden behind “Xing” and “Shi” among Chinese, so as to explore our own cultures from its roots and origin, besides sharing this unique and rich connotation within the surnames with people from different races.