US EUROPE AFRICA ASIA 中文
    China / Society

    China's history is spelled out in baby names

    (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2014-06-24 09:02

    China's history is spelled out in baby names

    A newborn baby dressed by his parents at a hospital in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province on March 20. Chinese parents often seem to be looking to major events for inspiration for the names of their babies. [Photo/IC]

    Historical books may offer details concerning the different stages since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 – but you can also learn something from Chinese names.

    Chinese parents often seem to be looking to major events – or historical milestones - for inspiration for the names of their babies – such as Jian'guo, which refers to the establishment of the People's Republic, and more recent popular names such as Hexie ("harmonious society") and Aoyun ("Olympics").

    More than 960,000 Chinese share the name Jian'guo, including about 24% who were born between 1949 and 1959, according to data from the National Citizen Identity Information Center (NCIIC). This name was rarely given to newborns before 1949.

    From 1950 to 1960 there was a surge in Chinese names representing the new China and people's hopes for a prosperous country, including names such as Jianhua (which has a similar meaning to Jianguo) and Guoqiang ("strong country").

    In addition, about 60% of Chinese with the name Minzhu ("democracy") were born in the 1950s.

    During the Korean War (1950-1953), Chinese people often chose names to reflect the conflict, as tens of thousands of babies were named Yuanchao ("aid the Korean people"), Kangmei ("resist US aggression") and Weiguo ("guard China's territory against infringement").

    A total of 493 Chinese people sharing the family name Zhang were given the name Yuanchao – and nearly 90% were born in the 1950s. Zhu De, the former commander in chief of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, also chose "Yuanchao" for his eldest grandson.

    In the period of "cultural revolution" (1966-76), Chinese parents showed their loyalty to the "revolution" by giving names such as Weihong (which literally means "protect red" – meaning the revolution), Weidong (literally meaning "protect Dong" which refers to Chairman Mao Zedong) and Xuenong ("learn from the peasants"). Some new babies were also named Wenge, which means "cultural revolution."

    The pool of Chinese names became more varied from 1978, when China initiated its policy of reform and opening-up. And, since the start of the one-child policy in the 1980s, parents also sometimes abandoned the traditional naming pattern of two or three characters in one name – and instead used four characters.

    This reflects the parents' aim to have a name for their only child which contained the family name of both the father and mother – rather than only the father's family name.

    A new naming trend began in 2001 following China's successful bid to host the Olympics in 2008, with about 31,000 infants named Shen'ao ("bid for the Olympics") or Aoyun ("Olympics").

    In 2008, a total of 4783 babies were named Aoyun.

    But the popularity of children's names connected with national events means that many people in China share the same names – especially as many Chinese people also share a small number of family names.

    In an attempt to help their child stand out?from the crowd, one Chinese couple even tried to name their baby "@" saying the symbol sounds like "love him" in Mandarin.

    Highlights
    Hot Topics
    ...
    最近中文字幕在线中文高清版| 伊人久久无码中文字幕| 亚洲精品无码精品mV在线观看| 午夜亚洲av永久无码精品| 亚洲国产a∨无码中文777| 中文精品久久久久国产网址| 国产精品三级在线观看无码 | 国产精品无码日韩欧| 亚洲日韩激情无码一区| 欧美精品丝袜久久久中文字幕| 中文字幕一区二区人妻| 国产成人无码精品一区在线观看| 13小箩利洗澡无码视频网站免费| 日韩中文字幕视频| 亚洲中文字幕在线乱码| 国产精品 中文字幕 亚洲 欧美| 国产精品无码素人福利| 国产三级无码内射在线看| 亚洲AV无码乱码在线观看裸奔| 天堂Aⅴ无码一区二区三区| 亚洲精品97久久中文字幕无码| 日韩精品久久无码中文字幕| 最近中文字幕大全免费版在线| 亚洲?V无码成人精品区日韩 | 亚洲国产精品成人AV无码久久综合影院 | 欧美日韩中文字幕久久伊人| 亚洲中久无码不卡永久在线观看| 国产啪亚洲国产精品无码| 无码人妻精品一区二区三区99仓本 | 日韩精品中文字幕无码一区| 亚洲AV无码国产精品麻豆天美| 自拍偷在线精品自拍偷无码专区| 精品久久久久久久中文字幕| 中文字幕亚洲色图| 最近中文字幕2019视频1| 最近中文字幕2019高清免费 | 亚洲AV日韩AV永久无码下载| 亚洲国产精品无码专区影院| 亚洲va无码手机在线电影| 无码AV中文一区二区三区| 日韩精品真人荷官无码|