Yin (surname)
Encyclopedia
"Yin" is usually a transliteration of a word from the Mandarin dialect — its cognate in another Chinese dialect may be pronounced differently, and thus spelled as Yuan for example. Also, the Yin surname as it is spelled in English, may refer to a number of different Chinese words/surnames pronounced yin, such as 殷 or 尹 — both are rare Chinese surnames.
In 1,783 BC, the Shang Dynasty
created the Position of Yin (equivalent to First Minister, most-favored Minister, or Lord Protector
). Lord Yi Chi of the Hua tribe helped orchestrate a near-bloodless coup bringing the Shang Dynasty to power, was rewarded with this title, and changed his name to Yi Yin (伊尹). In 800 BC, Bo Jifu, a renowned judge during the reign of Zhou Xuan Wang, also held this position, and changed his name to Yin Jifu.
During the era of the Imperial Examination
System, three other magistrates took on the surname Yin (尹) to denote their Imperial rank and royally-favored status.
Yin settlements in China can be found south-west of Tonghui in Gansu Province, in Shandong Province, as well as the Pearl River Delta area. The Yins are/were exempt from China's One-child Policy
due to the rarity of their surname and reverence for their historical role.
The surname is also used in Korea.
dating to the fall of the Yin (Shang) Dynasty
in 1046 BC. After the Yin's collapse, the surviving Yin ruling family collectively changed their surname from their royal surname 子 (pinyin
: zi; Wade-Giles
: tzu) to the name of their fallen capital and country, Yin (殷). The family remained aristocratic and often provided needed administrative services to the succeeding Zhou Dynasty
. The last Shang (Yin) king's brother, the Viscount of Wei (Weizi 微子), was given the territory around the old Shang capital and established the State of Song
(宋國). The State of Song and the remaining Yin descendants maintained official rites to the dead Shang (Yin) kings and lasted until 286 BC. This is the only historic origin for this surname. (Source: Records of the Grand Historian Sima Qian. 史记 Shiji).
The surname is still found mostly in northern
and northeastern China
, although there have been a few historic migrations to the area south of the Yangtze River
near the Wu
region of China, and since the Qing Dynasty
to Taiwan
and Southeast Asia
.
It is also a rare Korean surname (殷, 은).
Besides Yin, the surname 殷 is also Romanized as "In" (Sino-Japanese, other Chinese romanizations) and "Eun" (Sino-Korean).
from List of ethnic groups in China;
Yin(殷) use mixed En(恩:Eun) in past Korea, but vanish in morden;
The Yin (尹) surname
Yin , who took on the surname and became the Duke of Yin (a village in northeast China).In 1,783 BC, the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
created the Position of Yin (equivalent to First Minister, most-favored Minister, or Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
). Lord Yi Chi of the Hua tribe helped orchestrate a near-bloodless coup bringing the Shang Dynasty to power, was rewarded with this title, and changed his name to Yi Yin (伊尹). In 800 BC, Bo Jifu, a renowned judge during the reign of Zhou Xuan Wang, also held this position, and changed his name to Yin Jifu.
During the era of the Imperial Examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
System, three other magistrates took on the surname Yin (尹) to denote their Imperial rank and royally-favored status.
Yin settlements in China can be found south-west of Tonghui in Gansu Province, in Shandong Province, as well as the Pearl River Delta area. The Yins are/were exempt from China's One-child Policy
One-child policy
The one-child policy refers to the one-child limitation applying to a minority of families in the population control policy of the People's Republic of China . The Chinese government refers to it under the official translation of family planning policy...
due to the rarity of their surname and reverence for their historical role.
The surname is also used in Korea.
Famous people with Yin (尹) surname
- Yin FuYin FuYin Fu was a Baguazhang disciple of Dong Haichuan responsible for the creation of the Yin Style Baguazhang.Yin Fu was Dong's earliest disciple in Prince Duan's palace...
— creator of a sub-branch of the Bagua martial art, bodyguard to the Empress Dowager CixiEmpress Dowager CixiEmpress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
, personal trainer of the Emperor - Yin Han and Yin Zhen — judges in the Han DynastyHan DynastyThe Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
- Yin Lin — painter in the Tang DynastyTang DynastyThe Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
- Yin Zhongke — judge in the Song DynastySong DynastyThe Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
- Yin Zhangsheng — painter in the Song Dynasty
- Yin Wen — personal tutor of princes in the Ming DynastyMing DynastyThe Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
- Wan Kwong - a Hong Kongnese pop singer
The Yin (殷) surname
Yin is a rare Chinese surnameChinese surname
Chinese family names have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and among overseas Chinese communities. In ancient times two types of surnames, family names and clan names , existed.The colloquial expressions laobaixing...
dating to the fall of the Yin (Shang) Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
in 1046 BC. After the Yin's collapse, the surviving Yin ruling family collectively changed their surname from their royal surname 子 (pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: zi; Wade-Giles
Wade-Giles
Wade–Giles , sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a romanization system for the Mandarin Chinese language. It developed from a system produced by Thomas Wade during the mid-19th century , and was given completed form with Herbert Giles' Chinese–English dictionary of 1892.Wade–Giles was the most...
: tzu) to the name of their fallen capital and country, Yin (殷). The family remained aristocratic and often provided needed administrative services to the succeeding Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
. The last Shang (Yin) king's brother, the Viscount of Wei (Weizi 微子), was given the territory around the old Shang capital and established the State of Song
Song (state)
Sòng was a state during the Eastern Zhou Spring and Autumn Period . Its capital was Shangqiu . In 701 BC, a political marriage between Lady Yong of Song and Duke Zhuang of Zheng empowered Song to manipulate the management of Zheng.- Origin :After King Wu of Zhou overthrew King Zhou of Shang,...
(宋國). The State of Song and the remaining Yin descendants maintained official rites to the dead Shang (Yin) kings and lasted until 286 BC. This is the only historic origin for this surname. (Source: Records of the Grand Historian Sima Qian. 史记 Shiji).
The surname is still found mostly in northern
North China
thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain....
and northeastern China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
, although there have been a few historic migrations to the area south of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
near the Wu
Wu (region)
Wu is a region in the Jiangnan area , surrounding Suzhou, in Jiangsu province and Zhejiang province of China. It is also the abbreviation of several kingdoms based in Wu. The two largest cities in the Wu region today are Shanghai and Hangzhou...
region of China, and since the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
It is also a rare Korean surname (殷, 은).
Besides Yin, the surname 殷 is also Romanized as "In" (Sino-Japanese, other Chinese romanizations) and "Eun" (Sino-Korean).
other origin
from state name;- surname Yin(殷) from state name "Yin Shi"(殷水) of YuzhouYuzhouYuzhou is a county-level city in Xuchang, central Henan province in the People's Republic of China...
(禹州), XuchangXuchangXuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, HenanHenanHenan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
in Wei (state)Wei (Spring and Autumn Period)This article is about the State of Wei founded during the Spring and Autumn Period. For the Warring States Period state whose name is pronounced identically, see Wei ....
(衞), Zhou DynastyZhou DynastyThe Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as... - Zhou DynastyZhou DynastyThe Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
royal KangKang-Royalty:* King Kang of Zhou , third sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty* Tai Kang , third sovereign of the Xia Dynasty-Surname:* Kang , a Chinese surname 康...
Shu(康叔) founded "Yin Shi"(殷水), YuzhouYuzhouYuzhou is a county-level city in Xuchang, central Henan province in the People's Republic of China...
(禹州), XuchangXuchangXuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, HenanHenanHenan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
in Wei (state)Wei (Spring and Autumn Period)This article is about the State of Wei founded during the Spring and Autumn Period. For the Warring States Period state whose name is pronounced identically, see Wei ....
(衞) - XuchangXuchangXuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
is capital of Cao WeiCao WeiCao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
(曹魏) in Three KingdomsThree KingdomsThe Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
from List of ethnic groups in China;
- surname Yin(殷) from ManchuManchuThe Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
people - surname Yin(殷) from Jinyi(今彝) people
- surname Yin(殷) from Huideng(回等) people, etc.
Yin(殷) use mixed En(恩:Eun) in past Korea, but vanish in morden;
- surname en(恩) from GuiGuiGui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
clan of Qi (state)Qi (state)Qi was a powerful state during the Spring and Autumn Period and Period of the Warring States in ancient China. Its capital was Linzi, now part of the modern day city of Zibo in Shandong Province....
(齊) and state name En Zhou(恩州) - surname Eun(恩) is powerful family of BaekjeBaekjeBaekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
(百濟). Eun Go(恩古) is wife of the Uija of BaekjeUija of BaekjeUija of Baekje was the 31st and final ruler of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. His reign ended when Baekje was conquered by the alliance of the rival Korean kingdom Silla and China's Tang Dynasty.- Background :...
Famous people with Yin (殷) surname
- Yin Xian (殷羡), famous Jin Dynasty general
- Yin Hao (殷浩), another famous Jin Dynasty general
- Yin Zhongkan (殷仲堪), famous intellectual during the Northern and Southern Dynasties era
- Yin ChengzongYin ChengzongYin Chengzong is a Chinese pianist and composer.-Biography:Born on the "Piano Island" of Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Fujian, in the People's Republic of China...
(殷承宗), premier Chinese pianist and composer who arranged the Yellow River Piano Concerto - Yin Tseng Yan (殷正洋), Taiwanese pop singer.
- Yin Qiyu (殷綺妤), famous Chinese lawyer
- Yin Ming (殷明), famous Chinese physicist