Genealogy book
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A genealogy book is used in East Asia to record the family history of ancestors. It is the Chinese tradition to record family members in a book, including every male born in the family, who they are married to, etc. Traditionally, only males' names are recorded in the books.
During the Cultural revolution, many of the books were forcefully destroyed or burned to ashes, because they were considered by the Chinese communist party as among the Four olds. Therefore much valuable cultural history was destroyed forever. Fortunately in Taiwan many people still keep their genealogy books, some of which are even a few thousand years old.
[edit] Irish genealogical books
Genealogy has been a fundamental part of Irish culture since prehistory. Of the many surviving manuscripts, a large number are devoted to genealogy, either for a single family, or many. It was practised in both Gaelic and Anglo-Norman Ireland. A number of the more notable books include:
- Leabhar na nGenealach (The Great Book of Irish Genealogies]]
- The Ó Cléirigh Book of Genealogies
- The Book of the Burkes
- Leabhar Adhamh Ó Cianáin
- An Leabhar Muimhneach
- Leabhar Donn
Families who were professional historians inlcuded Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin, Ó Cléirigh, Clan MacFhirbhisigh, Ó Maolconaire.
