Ninghai News
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Completing Genealogy Ceremony in Ninghai.
Wang Yongcai and “The Genealogy of the Wang Family at Kengkou”. (Photo by Gu Jiayi)
Shao Peng’s major in “Danshan Shao Family Genealogy” (Huang Gongao, Gaowan Branch).
A few days ago, the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Genealogy Culture Research Association held the first batch of review meetings and editing work seminars for Zhejiang genealogists in Ningbo. Genealogists from Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jinhua, Wenzhou, Taizhou, Shaoxing, Zhoushan, Lishui, Quzhou, Huzhou and other places gathered together to share recent achievements and discuss the current situation of genealogy editing in the province.
How much do Zhejiang people love to edit genealogy? According to the statistics of the Shanghai Library, Zhejiang Province ranks first in the country in terms of the number of surviving genealogies, surpassing Jiangsu, Anhui, Hunan and other provinces. At present, the work of reconstructing genealogy is in the ascendant in various parts of Zhejiang, and is gradually developing in the direction of standardization, specialization and professionalization.
As the only provincial genealogy culture society, the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Genealogy Culture Research Association, established in 2017, provides a platform for exchanges between genealogists. There are more than 60 members who have participated in the compilation of more than 3 genealogies, and some of them have even participated in the compilation of more than 20 genealogies and become “professional genealogists”.
Genealogists were “scrambled” by the whole county
Wang Yongcai, a native of Kengkou Village, Sangzhou Town, Ninghai County, was born in 1948 and came from the “Kengkou Wang Family”, and is currently the secretary-general of the Ninghai County Wang’s Literature and History Research Association and a member of the Ninghai County History Research Association. Since 1991, he has participated in the compilation of 10 genealogies in Ninghai County.
“There is a saying in genealogy that ‘a(chǎn) major revision in 60 years, a minor revision in 30 years.’ In the early 90s of the 20th century, there was a climax of revision, and now, 30 years later, it is just in a climax stage. Wang Yongcai said.
More than 30 years ago, Wang Yongcai, who was in his 40s, was still a layman in the field of genealogy, “at that time, I didn’t even know what a genealogy was.” Kengkou Village wanted to revise the genealogy, and wanted to find a young man with a little literacy to help, but Wang Yongcai, who could “write a little”, stumbled into the door by chance.
This experience brought Wang Yongcai a great sense of pride, and through the revision of the genealogy, he found his “ancestor”. “Our ‘Kengkou Wang Family’ is a branch of the ‘Shangye Wang Family’, and at the end of the Song Dynasty, we migrated from Tongzhou to Shangye.” Through the genealogy trace, Wang Yongcai learned that there was a seventeenth ancestor “Chengshi Gong” who was an official in Fujian in the twenty-sixth year of Kaiyuan in Tang Dynasty (738), and was the ancestor of the “Shangye Wang Family”; And the first ancestor “Kai Gong”, named Chongzi, is the great-grandson of Wang Dao, the high official of the Western Jin Dynasty, at the end of the Jin Dynasty due to the disturbance of Wuhu, moved from Xinchang to Fujian.
Wang was born into the famous Langya Wang family, and his reputation was so high. In Wang Yongcai’s eyes, the root of the “Kengkou Wang” has a clear structure, which makes him have a strong interest in the research and exploration of genealogy.
When hearing that Wang Yongcai had experience in editing the genealogy, and the surrounding Yejiashan Wang, Xiajiaxia, Houshage, and Liaoche Wang later invited him to edit the genealogy.
After participating more times, Wang Yongcai gradually summed up several methods: when he went to a place, he must investigate the ancestral graves of the locals and chat with the elderly extensively; When renewing the score, the house faction, the famous household, the character generation, the head of the household, the spouse, the father, the maiden family, the address, the time of birth, the time of death, the cemetery and other contents must be made and filled in detail.
Every time he helps editing the genealogy, Wang Yongcai has a feeling of being needed and trusted. In this year’s Qingming Festival, he was invited to participate in 6 completing the genealogy ceremonies (after the completion of the editing, a grand event was held in the ancestral hall to pay tribute to the ancestors and celebrate the renewal of the record of family history), from Qiangjiao Jiajue Kelin Family, Huchen Xiweng Lin Family, Yugen Lin Family, Qianheng Shangshan Zhang Family, the Fang Family of Fang Xiaoru hometown in Gucheng, to Qiantong Zhulin Wang Family, “I have not enough time at all”.
“Since 2023, Ninghai County’s genealogy editing and completing ceremonies have reached a climax.” Wang Yongcai said that every time at a completing genealogy ceremony, the local area will organize a larger ancestor worship, bestowing genealogy, and parade activities, combining root-seeking and folk customs, and the consciousness of the family “community” is gradually condensed.
The interaction of local history and genealogy
Shao Peng, who was born in 1963, retired from the Xiangshan County History Office.
From 2005 to 2019, he participated in the compilation and publication of “Xiangshan County Chronicles”, and read hundreds of local genealogies in the Xiangshan Archives and Xiangshan Library. According to his investigation, there are four or five hundred genealogies in the entire Xiangshan County.
Due to his relatively extensive understanding and more contact with various forms of genealogy, Shao Peng has a different vision. In his eyes, the ancients and the present have each other’s strengths and weaknesses. “Some genealogies are really well compiled, and some genealogies produce historical information that is all made up.” Not superstitious, not biased, and not conformist to the ancients is Shao Peng’s attitude towards genealogy.
More often, Shao Peng looked through the family tree with the idea of “l(fā)ooking for historical materials”. The documents, biographies, geographical conditions, and historical events included in the genealogy sometimes become a supplement to the local chronicles, bringing surprises to Shao Peng. “On the whole, some genealogies after the Republic of China have consciously introduced some geographical information, documents and archives, so as to make their genealogies more sublime.” Shao Peng said.
He gave an example, there is a set of “Sanmen Lu Family Genealogy” compiled during the Republic of China in Xiangshan, which can be called “inheritance without losing its integrity, together with innovation appropriate.” From the new preface, the old preface, the source of the examination, the portrait, the ancestral training, the covenant, the old map of each faction, the line, the diagram, to the public property, good deeds, election tables, the inscription list of the soldiers who went out to resist the enemy, the table, as well as the ancestral temple, the tomb, the construction, the scenic spots, the art and literature, the memorabilia, the miscellaneous notes, the inscriptions, the old poems, the epilogue and so on, are all available, “there is the initiative in the rules, not impatient or impatient, some of them can be said to be directly using the compilation means of local chronicles, and the value of historical materials is difficult to reach by general genealogy.” Shao Peng said.
It is a direction of genealogy development to introduce local history into genealogy and increase the historiographical value of genealogy. “As for how to combine and to what extent, we still need to continue to explore.” Shao Peng said.
Digital technology is applied to the genealogy
Due to the actual demand, more and more genealogy editing software is being developed.
Compared with handwriting, the editing software greatly improves the efficiency of typesetting. Automatic conversion of the chronology, correction of inconsistencies in the name of the family members, and reminders that there may be errors in the year of birth between couples......it can be done with the editing software automatically.
Kang Haiming, general manager of Ningbo Totem Genealogy Printing Company, became acquainted with genealogy because he was familiar with digital printing. The first genealogy which was printed by his company came out in 2003. “My cousin from the neighboring village found me and asked me if I could do it, and I thought that prepress design and arrangement was my job, so I thought it was very simple, so I agreed.” Kang Haiming said.
When I actually started, I knew it’s difficult. When I was printing, the dark blue cotton cover, the silk cloth stick, the inner page of the rice paper engraving, and the lineage were connected by red thread, which was not as simple as it seemed. In the end, this “Songxi Shan Family Genealogy” was printed and folded in half with double offset paper, hand-painted red lines, and the cover was bound with antique lines. Now it seems that although it has the appearance of an ancient book, it is not really an ancient book, and it is somewhat rigid.
In the “order” received later, Kang Haiming gradually improved the process, introduced color laser machines, and tried to solve the problem of rice paper printing.
Up to now, Kang Haiming has undertaken more than 200 genealogies, covering all districts (counties and cities) in Ningbo, and even some “orders” come from outside the province. Kang Haiming said: “At present, the family that initiates the revision of genealogy generally has a strong leader and team, strong appeal, abundant funds, clear division of labor, and tacit cooperation and cooperation. “
At the same time, the need to renew genealogies in the form of small genealogies has also increased in recent years. “In the plains, there is a large flow of population, scattered families, and no contact between clansmen, and there is no news communicated after a few generations, so it is difficult to collect information on pedigree. In this case, for those who are interested in compiling a genealogy, it is also a good choice to compile for one house, one faction, or one line.” Kang Haiming said.
“At present, there are many people who are keen on revising genealogy, but there are still relatively few genealogists with high comprehensive quality and strong professional ability, among which there are even fewer people who are good at literature and history and are good at theoretical thinking and practical summary of genealogy revision.” Du Jianhai, a member of the Steering Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Genealogy Culture Research Association, said.
“The Zhejiang Genealogy Revision Review Meeting” held in Ningbo this time is to improve member’s skill and enhance the public’s awareness of genealogy culture through exchanges.
“The genealogy contains a lot of excellent traditional culture, such as family rules and family motto, to remove the dross and take the essence, which is conducive to the harmony of the family and society. We promote the revision of genealogy in the hope of giving full play to its role in inheriting historical materials, uniting family strength, and promoting social exchange and resource integration.” Huang Jinbao, president of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Genealogy Culture Research Association, said.