Why is Zhao the surname of hundreds of families?

Why does "Zhao" rank first among hundreds of surnames? Uncover the historical code behind your surname

Recently, "the origin of hundreds of surnames" has become a hot topic on the Internet, especially among cultural and historical communities. As the most famous surname in China, why does "Zhao Qian Sun Li" begin with the character "Zhao"? This article combines relevant discussion data from the entire network within 10 days to analyze it for you from three aspects: history, culture, and statistics.

1. Analysis of popularity data of the entire network (last 10 days)

2. Historical traceability: the imprint of the imperial power era

According to the records of the Song Dynasty, "One Hundred Family Surnames" was written in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960). At this time, Zhao Kuangyin established the Song Dynasty and the surname Zhao became the national surname. Scholar @文史Quest pointed out in a highly praised answer on Zhihu: "This is essentially a cultural tradition of 'taboo for the venerable', just like the "Clan Chronicles" of the Tang Dynasty which listed the surname Li first."

3. Comparison of contemporary surname populations

4. The evolution of cultural symbols

The popular Douyin video "My surname is Zhao, I am suddenly noble" received 2.8 million likes, reflecting the young group's new interpretation of traditional culture. The vice president of the Chinese Surname Society emphasized in an interview: "The ordering of "One Hundred Surnames" is a product of specific history. In modern times, we should pay more attention to the cultural connotation of surnames rather than pure ranking."

5. Hot topics of discussion among netizens

The Weibo topic #If the Hundreds of Surnames Are Rearranged# has been read 180 million times. The main views include:

1. 62% of netizens support reordering by population

2. 28% believe that the traditional version should be retained as cultural heritage

3. 10% proposed to produce multiple versions of different historical periods.

Conclusion

The cultural phenomenon of "Zhao" being the first surname is not only a microcosm of the imperial power era, but also carries the inheritance function of Chinese surname culture. As stated in the newly published "History of Chinese Name Culture": "The order of surnames is like a living fossil, recording every pulse of the evolution of civilization."