Changing fortunes: dynasties rise and fall, but the most unsettled are not the common people, but the royal family.
To stabilize their ruling position and prevent the populace from longing for the previous dynasty or using that sentiment to rebel and restore their former power, the emperor of the new dynasty had to eradicate the previous royal family, ensuring they would vanish from the world forever.
However, with many members in the royal family, “small fish may escape the vast net,” numerous princes and nobles risked their lives to flee, changing their names and identities to evade the current regime’s persecution, living in obscurity and completely abandoning their once-prosperous and noble lineage.
On February 12, 1912, the Qing dynasty in China, which lasted for 276 years, officially ended with the abdication decree of Empress Dowager Longyu. With the fall of the Qing dynasty, the royal family members began changing their surnames to avoid capture. Not only the royal family but also the Eight Banner nobility of Manchuria had to change their surnames to escape unforeseen dangers.
After the fall of the Qing dynasty, many descendants of Aisin Gioro changed their surname to ‘Jin’. (Illustrative image).
Aisin Gioro is the royal surname of the Qing dynasty. Originally, “Aisin” was the name of a clan, while “Gioro” was the surname. Before the establishment of the Later Jin dynasty, Aisin Gioro was merely a small clan consisting of Nurhaci and his 22 sons. However, after the establishment of the Later Jin dynasty, to signify their lineage and noble status, Nurhaci designated Aisin Gioro as the exclusive surname of his descendants.
Once Aisin Gioro became the royal surname, the descendants began to multiply and grow rapidly. Historical records indicate that during the time of Hong Taiji, there were about 100 royal family members; by the time of the Kangxi Emperor, this number had increased to around 490; after the fall of the Qing dynasty, there were over 20,000 descendants of the Qing royal family.
According to many historical documents, after the fall of the Qing dynasty, many descendants of Aisin Gioro changed their surname to “Jin,” as “Aisin Gioro” was originally in Manchu script, which can be interpreted in Chinese as “gold” (jin).
However, it is known that not all descendants of the Manchu Qing royal family changed their surname to Jin; only those closely related to the highest noble emperor had this privilege. Moreover, some families of distant branches of Aisin Gioro changed their surnames to “Bai,” “Yu,” “Kai,” etc.
The Eight Banner nobility of Manchuria also adopted new names to integrate into modern life. For instance, the Heshelili clan changed their name to “He” or “Ha,” the Niuhuru clan changed to “Lang” or “Niu,” and the Donggeli clan changed to “Dong,” etc. This transformation helped them avoid gossip and live peacefully under their new identities.
Many might wonder, considering the Chinese place great importance on ancestral surnames, do modern descendants of the Qing royal family and nobility reclaim their original surnames?
The answer is: Extremely rare.
Similar to the story of Puyi after becoming an ordinary citizen. When out on the streets or visiting the Forbidden City, upon learning he was Aisin Gioro Puyi – the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, many people would gossip, both maliciously and curiously. Although he took pride in his surname, Puyi felt somewhat bitter and sorrowful.
Descendants of the old dynasty have become accustomed to life under their new identities. If they suddenly reverted to their ancestral surnames, it would cause numerous complications. Therefore, it is best to let it remain buried in history, known and remembered only by themselves.
