Change of Xianbei names to Han names

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In 496, Emperor Xiaowen of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei ordered a change of Xianbei family names to Han names, as part of his Sinicization campaign for his Xianbei people. Xianbei family names were generally two-to-three syllables, and they were shortened to one-to-two syllables, and established Han names were used. Later historians, including Wei Shou, the author of the official history of Northern Wei, Book of Wei, because they found shortened Han-style names to be easier to write about, largely used the post-496 family names even where pre-496 events involving Northern Wei were described. Later, after the division of Northern Wei into two in 534, the paramount general of Western Wei, Yuwen Tai, tried to reverse these name changes and restore Xianbei names, and further changed the names of a number of Han generals and officials to Xianbei names, but after the destruction of Western Wei's successor state, Northern Zhou (which was ruled by Yuwen Tai's descendants), the Han names were restored for Han and Xianbei alike, although there were some exceptions -- for example, the clan of Emperor Wen of Sui's wife Empress Dugu Qieluo kept their Xianbei name of Dugu and did not once again change the name into Liu. Yuwen Tai further had Han officials and generals change their names to Xianbei names, although this change was itself rescinded by the regent Yang Jian near the end of Northern Zhou.

[edit] Name correspondence

Below is a list of the Xianbei names that are known to have been changed into Han names:

• Tuoba (拓拔) (imperial clan name) -> Yuan (元)
• Gegu (紇骨) -> Hu (胡)
• Pu (普) -> Zhou (周)
• Baba (拔拔) -> Zhangsun (長孫)
• Daxi (達奚) -> Xi (奚)
• Yilou (伊婁) -> Yi (伊)
• Qiudun (丘敦) -> Qiu (丘)
• Xiqihai (係俟亥) -> Hai (亥)
• Yizhan (乙旃) -> Shusun (叔孫)
• Chekun (車焜) -> Che (車)
• Qiumuling (丘穆陵) -> Mu (穆)
• Buliugu (步六孤) -> Lu (陸)
• Helai (賀賴) -> He (賀)
• Dugu (獨孤) -> Liu (劉)
• Helou (賀樓) -> Lou (樓)
• Wuniuyu (勿忸于) -> Yu (于)
• Shilian (是連) -> Lian (連)
• Pulan (僕闌) -> Pu (僕)
• Ruogan (若干) -> Gou (苟)
• Balielan (拔列蘭) -> Liang (梁)
• Bolue (撥略) -> Su (蘇)
• Ruokouyin (若口引) -> Kou (寇)
• Chiluo (叱羅) -> Luo (羅)
• Pulouru (普陋茹) -> Ru (茹)
• Hege (賀葛) -> Ge (葛)
• Shiben (是賁) -> Feng (封)
• Afugan (阿扶干) -> A (阿)
• Kediyan (可地延) -> Yan (延)
• Aluhuan (阿鹿桓) -> Lu (鹿)
• Taluoba (他駱拔) -> Luo (駱)
• Boxi (薄奚) -> Bo (薄)
• Wuwan (烏丸) -> Huan (桓)
• Suhe (素和) -> He (和)
• Hugukouyin (胡古口引) or Gukouyin (古口引) -> Hou (侯)
• Yuhun (谷渾) -> Hun (渾)
• Pilou (匹婁) -> Lou (婁)
• Qilifa (俟力伐) -> Bao (鮑)
• Tufulu (吐伏盧) -> Lu (盧)
• Dieyun (牒云) -> Yun (云)
• Shiyun (是云) -> Shi (是)
• Chili (叱利) -> Li (利)
• Fulü (副呂) -> Fu (副)
• Ruluo (如羅) -> Ru (如)
• Qifu (乞扶) -> Fu (扶)
• Kedan (可單 or 渴單) -> Dan (單)
• Qiji (俟幾) -> Ji (幾)
• He'er (賀兒) -> Er (兒)
• Tuxi (吐奚) -> Gu (古)
• Chulian (出連) -> Bi (畢)
• Heba (賀拔) -> He (何)
• Chilü (叱呂) -> Lü (呂)
• Monalou (莫那婁) -> Mo (莫)
• Xidoulu (奚斗盧) -> Suolu (索盧)
• Molu (莫蘆) -> Lu (蘆)
• Budahan (步大汗) -> Han (韓)
• Moluzhen (沒路真) -> Lu (路)
• Hudigan (扈地干) -> Hu (扈)
• Muyu (慕輿) -> Yu (輿)
• Gegan (紇干) -> Gan (干)
• Qifujin (俟伏斤) -> Fu (伏)
• Shilou (是樓) -> Gao (高)
• Qutu (屈突) -> Qu (屈)
• Talu (沓盧) -> Ta (沓)
• Washilan (嗢石蘭) -> Shi (石)
• Jiepi (解枇) -> Jie (解)
• Qijin (奇斤) -> Qi (奇)
• Xubu (須卜) -> Bu (卜)
• Qiulin (丘林) -> Lin (林)
• Damogan (大莫干) -> Ge (郃)
• Ermian (尒綿) -> Mian (綿)
• Gailou (蓋樓) -> Gai (蓋)
• Suli (素黎) -> Li (黎)
• Yidoujuan (壹斗眷) -> Ming (明)
• Chimen (叱門) -> Men (門)
• Suliujin (宿六斤) -> Su (宿)
• Bibi (馝纰) -> Bi (纰)
• Tunan (土難) -> Shan (山)
• Wuyin (屋引) -> Fang (房)
• Shuluogan (樹洛干) -> Shu (樹)
• Yifu (乙弗) -> Yi (乙)
• Maojuan (茂眷) -> Mao (茂)
• Youlian (宥連) -> Yun (雲)
• Gedouling (紇豆陵) -> Dou (竇)
• Houmochen (侯莫陳) -> Chen (陳)
• Kudi (庫狄) -> Di (狄)
• Tailuoji (太洛稽) -> Ji (稽)
• Keba (柯拔) -> Ke (柯)
• Yuchi (尉遲) -> Yu (尉)
• Bulugen (步鹿根) -> Bu (步)
• Poduoluo (破多羅) -> Pan (潘)
• Chigan (叱干) -> Xue (薛)
• Qinu (俟奴) -> Qi (俟)
• Nianchi (輾遲) -> Zhan (展)
• Feilian (費連) -> Fei (費)
• Qilian (其連) -> Qi (綦)
• Qujin (去斤) -> Ai (艾)
• Kehou (渴侯) -> Gou (緱)
• Chilu (叱盧) -> Zhu (祝)
• Heji (和稽) -> Huan (緩)
• Tulai (菟賴) -> Jiu (就)
• Wapen (嗢盆) -> Wen (溫)
• Dabo (達勃) -> Bao (褒)
• Duguhun (獨孤渾) -> Du (杜)
• Helan (賀蘭) -> He (賀)
• Yuyuanzhen (郁原甄) -> Zhen (甄)
• Gexi (紇奚) -> Ji (嵇)
• Yuele (越勒) -> Yue (越)
• Chinu (叱奴) -> Lang (狼)
• Kezhuhun (渴燭渾) -> Zhu (朱)
• Kuruguan (庫褥官) -> Ku (庫)
• Wuluolan (烏洛蘭) -> Lan (蘭)
• Yinalou (一那蔞) -> Lou (蔞)
• Yufu (羽弗) -> Yu (羽)

[edit] Major Xianbei names that were not changed

Several major Xianbei clan names were apparently judged by Emperor Xiaowen to be sufficiently Han-like to not to be changed. These included:

• Tuyuhun (吐谷渾)
• Heruo (賀若)
• Na (那)
• Yu (庾)