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Change of Xianbei names to Han names

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The Change of Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...

family names to Han names was part of a larger sinicization

Sinicization

Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, is the linguistic assimilation or cultural assimilation of terms and concepts of the language and culture of China...

campaign. It was at its peak intensity under Emperor Xiaowen

Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei

Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei , personal name né Tuoba Hong , later Yuan Hong , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....

of the Northern Wei

Northern Wei

The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...

dynasty in 496.

Background

To formalize sinification, a number of actions were taken prior to the name changes.

In 493 the capital was moved to Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...

, closer to the agricultural Han
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...

and away from the nomadic roots.
In 494 nomadic style clothing were abandoned.
In 495 nomadic languages at court were abandoned.

Changes

Northern Wei

The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...

ordered Xianbei family names that were two-to-three syllables to be shortened to one-to-two syllables, converting them to Han names. Later historians, including Wei Shou

Wei Shou

Wei Shou , born in Xingtai, Hebei, was a Chinese author. He wrote the Book of Wei, composed in 554, an important Chinese historical text.-References:*Cao, Daoheng, . Encyclopedia of China, 1st ed....

, the author of the official history of Northern Wei, Book of Wei

Book of Wei

The Book of Wei is a classic Chinese historical writing compiled by Wei Shou from 551 to 554, and serves as an important historical text describing the Northern Wei and Eastern Wei from 386 to 550....

, found shortened Han-style names to be easier to write about, and therefore used post-496 family names even where pre-496 events involving Northern Wei were described. Later, after the division of Northern Wei into two in 534, the paramount general of Western Wei

Western Wei

The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...

, Yuwen Tai

Yuwen Tai

Yuwen Tai , nickname Heita , formally Duke Wen of Anding , later further posthumously honored by Northern Zhou initially as Prince Wen then as Emperor Wen with the temple name Taizu , was the paramount general of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Wei, a branch successor state of Northern Wei...

, tried to reverse these name changes and restore Xianbei names. A number of generals and officials changed their names back to Xianbei names, but after the destruction of Western Wei's successor state, Northern Zhou

Northern Zhou

The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...

(which was ruled by Yuwen Tai's descendants), the Han names were restored for Han and Xianbei alike. There were some exceptions, for example, the clan of Emperor Wen of Sui

Emperor Wen of Sui

Emperor Wen of Sui — personal name Yang Jian , Xianbei name Puliuru Jian , nickname Naluoyan — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty . He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state...

's wife Empress Dugu Qieluo

Empress Dugu Qieluo

Empress Dugu Qieluo , formally Empress Wenxian , was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty...

kept their Xianbei name of Dugu and did not once again change the name into Liu. Yuwen Tai further had Han officials and generals change their names to Xianbei names, although this change was itself rescinded by the regent

Regent

A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

Yang Jian

Emperor Wen of Sui

Emperor Wen of Sui — personal name Yang Jian , Xianbei name Puliuru Jian , nickname Naluoyan — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty . He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state...

near the end of Northern Zhou.

Name correspondence

Below is a list of the Xianbei names that are known to have been changed into Han names:

Tuoba
Tuoba
Tuoba, or Tabgach, were a clan of Xianbei people of ancient China.-Xianbei Tuoba:Tuoba was a clan of the Xianbei people in the early centuries of the 1st millennium AD. They established the State of Dai from 310 to 376 AD, and the Northern Wei Dynasty from 386 to 536 AD...

(拓拔) (imperial clan name) -> Yuan (元)
Gegu (紇骨) -> Hu (胡)
Pu (普) -> Zhou (周)
Baba (拔拔) -> Zhangsun (長孫)
Daxi (達奚) -> Xi (奚)
Yilou (伊婁) -> Yi (伊)
Qiudun (丘敦) -> Qiu (丘)
Xiqihai (係俟亥) -> Hai (亥)
Yizhan (乙旃) -> Shusun (叔孫)
Chekun (車焜) -> Che (車)
Qiumuling (丘穆陵) -> Mu (穆)
Buliugu (步六孤) -> Lu (陸)
Helai (賀賴) -> He (賀)
Dugu (獨孤) -> Liu (劉)
Helou (賀樓) -> Lou (樓)
Wuniuyu (勿忸于) -> Yu (于)
Shilian (是連) -> Lian (連)
Pulan (僕闌) -> Pu (僕)
Ruogan (若干) -> Gou (苟)
Balielan (拔列蘭) -> Liang (梁)
Bolue (撥略) -> Su (蘇)
Ruokouyin (若口引) -> Kou (寇)
Chiluo (叱羅) -> Luo (羅)
Pulouru (普陋茹) -> Ru (茹)
Hege (賀葛) -> Ge (葛)
Shiben (是賁) -> Feng (封)
Afugan (阿扶干) -> A (阿)
Kediyan (可地延) -> Yan (延)
Aluhuan (阿鹿桓) -> Lu (鹿)
Taluoba (他駱拔) -> Luo (駱)
Boxi (薄奚) -> Bo (薄)
Wuwan (烏丸) -> Huan (桓)
Suhe (素和) -> He (和)
Hugukouyin (胡古口引) or Gukouyin (古口引) -> Hou (侯)
Yuhun (谷渾) -> Hun (渾)
Pilou (匹婁) -> Lou (婁)
Qilifa (俟力伐) -> Bao (鮑)
Tufulu (吐伏盧) -> Lu (盧)
Dieyun (牒云) -> Yun (云)
Shiyun (是云) -> Shi (是)
Chili (叱利) -> Li (利)
Fulü (副呂) -> Fu (副)
Ruluo (如羅) -> Ru (如)
Qifu (乞扶) -> Fu (扶)
Kedan (可單 or 渴單) -> Dan (單)
Qiji (俟幾) -> Ji (幾)
He'er (賀兒) -> Er (兒)
Tuxi (吐奚) -> Gu (古)
Chulian (出連) -> Bi (畢)
Heba (賀拔) -> He (何)
Chilü (叱呂) -> Lü (呂)
Monalou (莫那婁) -> Mo (莫)
Xidoulu (奚斗盧) -> Suolu (索盧)
Molu (莫蘆) -> Lu (蘆)
Budahan (步大汗) -> Han
Han (surname)
Han is a common transliteration of the Chinese surname 韩 or 韓 , pronounced Hán, and the Korean surname 한 . The spelling "Han" is based on China's pinyin system and so used throughout Mainland China. Spelling can vary from 'Hon' in Cantonese-speaking areas to 'Hang' in Hainan...

(韓
Han (surname)
Han is a common transliteration of the Chinese surname 韩 or 韓 , pronounced Hán, and the Korean surname 한 . The spelling "Han" is based on China's pinyin system and so used throughout Mainland China. Spelling can vary from 'Hon' in Cantonese-speaking areas to 'Hang' in Hainan...

)
Moluzhen (沒路真) -> Lu (路)
Hudigan (扈地干) -> Hu (扈)
Muyu (慕輿) -> Yu (輿)
Gegan (紇干) -> Gan (干)
Qifujin (俟伏斤) -> Fu (伏)
Shilou (是樓) -> Gao (高)
Qutu (屈突) -> Qu (屈)
Talu (沓盧) -> Ta (沓)
Washilan (嗢石蘭) -> Shi (石)
Jiepi (解枇) -> Jie (解)
Qijin (奇斤) -> Qi (奇)
Xubu (須卜) -> Bu (卜)
Qiulin (丘林) -> Lin (林)
Damogan (大莫干) -> Ge (郃)
Ermian (尒綿) -> Mian (綿)
Gailou (蓋樓) -> Gai (蓋)
Suli (素黎) -> Li (黎)
Yidoujuan (壹斗眷) -> Ming (明)
Chimen (叱門) -> Men (門)
Suliujin (宿六斤) -> Su (宿)
Bibi (馝纰) -> Bi (纰)
Tunan (土難) -> Shan (山)
Wuyin (屋引) -> Fang (房)
Shuluogan (樹洛干) -> Shu (樹)
Yifu (乙弗) -> Yi (乙)
Maojuan (茂眷) -> Mao (茂)
Youlian (宥連) -> Yun (雲)
Gedouling (紇豆陵) -> Dou (竇)
Houmochen (侯莫陳) -> Chen (陳)
Kudi (庫狄) -> Di (狄)
Tailuoji (太洛稽) -> Ji (稽)
Keba (柯拔) -> Ke (柯)
Yuchi (尉遲) -> Yu (尉)
Bulugen (步鹿根) -> Bu (步)
Poduoluo (破多羅) -> Pan (潘)
Chigan (叱干) -> Xue (薛)
Qinu (俟奴) -> Qi (俟)
Nianchi (輾遲) -> Zhan (展)
Feilian (費連) -> Fei (費)
Qilian (其連) -> Qi (綦)
Qujin (去斤) -> Ai (艾)
Kehou (渴侯) -> Gou (緱)
Chilu (叱盧) -> Zhu (祝)
Heji (和稽) -> Huan (緩)
Tulai (菟賴) -> Jiu (就)
Wapen (嗢盆) -> Wen (溫)
Dabo (達勃) -> Bao (褒)
Duguhun (獨孤渾) -> Du (杜)
Helan (賀蘭) -> He (賀)
Yuyuanzhen (郁原甄) -> Zhen (甄)
Gexi (紇奚) -> Ji (嵇)
Yuele (越勒) -> Yue (越)
Chinu (叱奴) -> Lang (狼)
Kezhuhun (渴燭渾) -> Zhu (朱)
Kuruguan (庫褥官) -> Ku (庫)
Wuluolan (烏洛蘭) -> Lan (蘭)
Yinalou (一那蔞) -> Lou (蔞)
Yufu (羽弗) -> Yu (羽)

Major Xianbei names that were not changed

Several major Xianbei clan names were apparently judged by Emperor Xiaowen to be sufficiently Han-like to not to be changed. These included:

Tuyuhun (吐谷渾)
Heruo (賀若)
Na (那)
Yu (庾)

External links