Interpretation of the Chi (池) Surname Totem

【Meaning】

The character 池 (Chi) refers to a depression where water accumulates, commonly known as a pond or pool. Its original meaning pertained to waterways and channels (dug into the ground to facilitate water flow). This later evolved to include the moat surrounding a city, leading to the term Chengchi (City Walls and Moats).

【Origins】

1. From Place of Residence: Surnames derived from locations include Cheng (City), Guo (Outer Wall), Yuan (Garden), and Chi (Moat). In ancient times, people who lived for generations by the city moat adopted "Chi" as their surname. This is reflected in the Chinese idiom "A fire at the city gate brings disaster to the fish in the moat" (Cheng Men Shi Huo, Yang Ji Chi Yu), describing how water from the moat was used to fight fires, leaving the fish to perish.

2. From the Ying (嬴) Surname: This branch originated in the State of Qin during the Warring States period. There was a member of the Qin royal family known as Gongzi Chi (Prince Chi), who served as the Da Sima (Grand Marshal). His clan flourished, and his descendants adopted his name, Chi, as their surname.

Historical & Demographic Profile

Category

Details

Founding Ancestor

Gongzi Chi (Grand Marshal of the State of Qin)

Ancestral Homelands

Shangluo & Xianyang (Shaanxi); Kaifeng & Xiping (Henan)

Prefectural Mansions (Junwang)

Xiping, Xihe, Chenliu

Hall Name (Tanghao)

Tongan Hall (Hall of Universal Peace)

Modern Ranking / Population

Ranked 251st / Approx. 340,000 people

Song Dynasty Ranking

Unlisted/Unknown

Extant Genealogies

15 volumes currently preserved