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 Yuwen Tai further had Han officials and generals change their names to Xianbei names, although this change was itself rescinded by the regent Yang Jian near the end of Northern Zhou. Events Battle of Tolbiac; Clovis I defeats the Alamanni accepts Catholic baptism at Reims. ... Xiaowen (孝文帝) (467–499) was the emperor of the Northern Wei dynasty from 471 to 499. ... The Xianbei (Simplified Chinese: 鲜卑; Traditional Chinese: 鮮卑; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsien-pei) were a significant nomadic people residing in modern Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, or Xianbei Shan, a historic term for Greater Khingan, before migrating into areas of the modern Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Hebei, Inner Mongolia... The Northern Wei Dynasty (北魏 386-534) is most noted for the unification of northern China in 440, it was also heavily involved in funding the arts and many antiques and art works from this period have survived. ... The Xianbei (Simplified Chinese: 鲜卑; Traditional Chinese: 鮮卑; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsien-pei) were a significant nomadic people residing in modern Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, or Xianbei Shan, a historic term for Greater Khingan, before migrating into areas of the modern Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Hebei, Inner Mongolia... Languages Chinese languages Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... The Book of Wei (Chinese: ; pinyin: WèishÅ«) is a classic Chinese historical writing compiled by Wei Shou from 551 to 554, and serves as an important historical text describing the Northern Wei from 386 to 535. ... Events January 1 - Decimus Theodorius Paulinus appointed consul, the last to hold this office in the West. ... The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. ... Emperor Wen of Sui (541-604), personal name Yang Jian, also known by the Xianbei name Puliuru Jian (普六茹堅) during Northern Zhou, nickname Naluoyan (那羅延), was the founder and first emperor of Chinas Sui Dynasty. ... Empress Dugu Qieluo (獨孤伽羅) (544-602), formally Empress Xian (獻皇后, literary meaning the wise empress), was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty. ... Regent, from the Latin, a person selected to administer a state because the ruler is a minor or is not present or debilitated. ... Emperor Wen of Sui (541-604), personal name Yang Jian, also known by the Xianbei name Puliuru Jian (普六茹堅) during Northern Zhou, nickname Naluoyan (那羅延), was the founder and first emperor of Chinas Sui Dynasty. ...

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)

Tuoba (拓拔 pinyin Tuòbá) or To-pa in Wade-Giles was a clan of the Xianbei people. ... Han is a common transliteration of the Chinese surname 韩 (simp. ... Han is a common transliteration of the Chinese surname 韩 (simp. ...

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)

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Book of Wei Vol. 113: Compendium of Official Offices and Surnames (in Chinese)