What's In a Name?

JohnLamb · Post by **JohnLamb** » Tue May 02, 2006 5:42 pm

Being very new to YFS TCC I am wondering why some of the Grandfathers have two names? For example, Yang Lu Chan is apparently also known as Yang Fu Kui. I must admit that I am largely ignorant of Chinese traditions. I do know that my own grandfather changed his name after re-marrying.

Thank you,
John Lamb

Louis Swaim · Post by **Louis Swaim** » Tue May 02, 2006 6:06 pm

Greetings John,

I believe Fukui was his given name, that is, what he was named at birth. Luchan, I think, was his style name. In traditional China, many people were given a “style name” or “courtesy name” (zi) when they matured. Some also took on a personal sobriquet (hao).

Here’s a Wikipedia page with some information on Chinese naming conventions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtesy_name

Take care,
Louis

JohnLamb · Post by **JohnLamb** » Tue May 02, 2006 6:21 pm

Thank you Louis.

I thank you also for the tremendous work you have done in translating interpreting. I have been aware of your transcriptions for a number of years now.

John Lamb

Bob Ashmore · Post by **Bob Ashmore** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:13 pm

Louis,
I tried to research this myself but have come up with zip so far. I hope it's not rude or impolite to ask this but I've been curious about it for years.
You once told me that Yang Sau Chung is a sobriquet for "Yang who holds his center" or something very much like that when I asked why his name on the lineage chart shows up as Yang Zhen Ming.
Since then I've come to wonder what the names Yang Lu Chan and Yang Cheng Fu mean, since they are not the given names of the people involved.
Again, I've tried for quite a while to find out what they mean, but have had absolutely zero success.
If it's not a politically incorrect thing to do, could you please let me know?
It's not anything important or earth shattering, at all, it's merely my curiosity at work.

On a side not, I followed your link here on naming conventions, hoping to get some enlightenment on the above mentioned names (got nowhere) and found a link that allowed me to get my name in Chinese. I like that a lot so here's the link in case anyone else would like to do that:
http://www.chinesenames.org/

Enjoy.
Unfortunately I can't seem to paste my name in Chinese onto this forum.
I'll keep plugging away at it.

Bob

[This message has been edited by Bob Ashmore (edited 09-28-2006).]

Louis Swaim · Post by **Louis Swaim** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:28 pm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bob Ashmore:
Louis,
I followed your link, then continued to follow links from there until I found a site that let me translate my name to Chinese characters.
Uber cool.
Thanks, for indirectly leading me there.

Hi Bob,

If it's the one I'm thinking of, I've seen and played with the link to get a Chinese name. It doesn't really "translate" your name to Chinese, and it's kind of random. If you seriously want a Chinese name, it would be good to enlist the help of someone who could put some thought into it. It is fun, though!

I'll tell you who has a cool Chinese name -- Jeff, who posts here as Gu Rou Chen. It comes from the line in the Song of the Thirteen Postures: "Intention and qi are the authority, the bones (gu) and tissues (rou) the subjects (chen)."

Is that cool, or what? (That's kind of what I mean when I refer to "the realm of meat.")

Take care,
Wan Luyi

Louis Swaim · Post by **Louis Swaim** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:37 pm

Hi Bob,

Your post changed while I was responding, apparently. Regarding your question about Yang Luchan and Yang Chengfu, I'll try to look into it. However, names sometimes have obscure meanings, and sometimes no particular meaning at all.

--Louis

Bob Ashmore · Post by **Bob Ashmore** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:44 pm

Yes, I changed the post when I realized I could not post the copy and pasted chinese translation of my name from that site. I can copy and paste them into any other venue I've tried, but for some reason they just don't work here. I even tried to cut and paste into Word, then here, but all I get is a blank space where the characters should be.
I'll keep trying and see if I can't figure out why.
Anyway...
As I was changing the posting, that's when I thought of asking about YLC and YCF names.

If there's not an underlying, translatable meaning to the names that would certianly make it clear as to why I can't find one.
If there is, I would like to know simply to satisfy the before mentioned curiosity.
Thanks.

Bob

Bob Ashmore · Post by **Bob Ashmore** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:48 pm

Louis,
And any time you'd like to think up a Cninese name for me, please feel free.
I'd trust you not to name me something like "Dog who barks loudly but with no substance".
Not that it would be inaccurate in any way...

Bob

Bob Ashmore · Post by **Bob Ashmore** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:49 pm

And yes, that is an uber cool name. I had no idea that's what it meant.
Now I do, I like it even better!

Thanks, Wan Luyi, for your insight.

JohnLamb · Post by **JohnLamb** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:38 pm

Bob,

Does this mean we will no longer know you as Bob? LOL

John Lamb

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Bob Ashmore:
And yes, that is an uber cool name. I had no idea that's what it meant.
Now I do, I like it even better!

Thanks, Wan Luyi, for your insight.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[This message has been edited by JohnLamb (edited 09-29-2006).]

Bob Ashmore · Post by **Bob Ashmore** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:17 pm

John,
Well, I won't answer to "Dog who barks....", but you can call me just about anything other than "late for dinner".

Bob