Explanation of the Li Clan Totem

[Explanation]  

In ancient Chinese, the characters 李 (Li) and 理 (Li) were interchangeable.

“理” was the title for a judicial official in ancient times, responsible for matters of punishment and military justice.

“李” is also the name of a type of tree.

[Origin]  

Gaoyao, leader of the ancient Dongyi tribe, served as the Da Li (Chief Justice) during the reign of Emperor Yao. His descendants continued to hold this office through the eras of Shun, Xia, and Shang, and thus adopted the surname Li (理) based on their official title.

Near the end of the Shang dynasty, a descendant named Li Zheng (理征) was executed for admonishing King Zhou of Shang. His son Li Zhen (利贞) fled with his mother, Lady Qi He, to hide in the region known as “Yi Hou Zhi Xu” in western Henan. They survived by gathering and eating “mu zi” (fruits of woody plants—literally “tree fruits”), which saved their lives.

Later, they settled in Ku County (present-day Luyi, Henan).

To express gratitude for the “tree fruits” that sustained them, and to avoid further persecution by King Zhou, they changed their surname from 理 to 李, since the two were pronounced the same and used interchangeably.