Song
Song character in ancient script on top, modern script at bottom
PronunciationSòng (Mandarin)
Language(s)chinese
Other names
Variant form(s)Sung, Soong, Tống

Song is the pinyin transliteration of the Chinese family name 宋. It is transliterated as Sung in Wade-Giles, and Soong is also a common transliteration. In addition to being a common surname, it is also the name of a Chinese dynasty, the Song dynasty, written with the same character.

In 2019, it was the 24th most common surname in Mainland China.

Historical origin

Main article: Shang dynasty

The first written record of the character 宋 was found on the oracle bones of the Shang dynasty.

State of Song

In the written records of Chinese history, the first time the character Song was used as a surname appeared in the early stage of the Zhou dynasty. One of the children of the last emperor of Shang dynasty, Weizi Qi (微子启), was a duke owned state named Song, the descent of his ancestor Xie (契), derived from surname Zi (子). Xie was born by Jiandi from swallow of black bird egg, who came from Yousong (有娀) the legendary state.[1] The State of Song, Song's personal dominion, became part of the Zhou dynasty after the fall of the Shang dynasty, inherited the dynasty formally in 11th century BC. Citizens of the former State of Song commemorate to the overthrow of their state in 286 BC by the State of Qi owned by Tian, whom began to use the character Song as their surname, which is the authentic branch mainly.[2]

Song dynasty

Others

Blood type distribution

Population of surname Song's ABO blood type distribution is O blood type 31.3%, B blood type 30.6%, A blood type 28.4% and AB blood type 9.7%.[7]

Variations

A less common Chinese family name (崇 pinyin Chóng) can also be transliterated to Soong in some Chinese dialects.

The surname is also used in Korea.

In Vietnam, the surname is pronounced as Tống.

Notable people

Historical figures

Modern figures

Fictional characters

See also

References

  1. ^ Gopal Sukhu (2017). The Songs of Chu, An Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poetry by Qu Yuan and Others. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-231-54465-8.
  2. ^ a b c d 徐铁生 (2017). 《百家姓》新解. 北京: 中华书局. pp. 303–304. ISBN 9787101125337.
  3. ^ Li Yueshen (2006). 松江府宋氏家族世系及文学成就概述. Journal of Zhejiang University.
  4. ^ Sterling Seagrave (1986). The Soong Dynasty. New York: Harper & Row, Publisher. pp. 23, 63. ISBN 0-06-091318-5.
  5. ^ Hannah Pakula (2009). The Last Empress, Madame Chiang Kai-shek and the Birth of Modern China. Simon & Schuster. pp. Chapter 1. ISBN 978-1-4391-4893-8.
  6. ^ Laura Hostetler (2001). Qing Colonial Enterprise: Ethnography and Cartography in Early Modern China. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. pp. 134–137. ISBN 0-226-35420-2.
  7. ^ 袁义达等 (2002). 中国姓氏：群体遗传和人口分布. 华东师范大学出版社. p. 96. ISBN 7-5617-2769-0.
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