Fun Facts About the Hundred Family Surnames

When two strangers meet, they usually shake hands, exchange greetings, and ask, “What is your surname?” That's how the Hundred Family Surnames came to be. Chinese surname culture is rich and profound, closely intertwined with five thousand years of Chinese civilization. Drawing on the Song Dynasty edition of the Hundred Family Surnames, this book explains the origins of each surname and shares anecdotes about notable figures. With a light, humorous style grounded in fact and enriched with legends and entertaining stories, it introduces you to Chinese surname culture. Although the Hundred Family Surnames is not a prose text, it is easy to recite and uses familiar characters. Together with the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, it has long been known as the Three Hundred Thousand, a foundational primer for Chinese children.