This paper analyzes the “Hangje” of the Anyang Han clan during the Song Dynasty based on an initial case study of the Tang Dynasty’s Nak-An Sohn clan. By analyzing Han Qi’s The Literary Collection of Anyang, the recently excavated epitaphs of the Anyang Han clan, and The Genealogy of Xiaoshan Yidu Han Family Clan, it was possible to reconstruct the specific appearance of the “Hangje.” As a result, it was revealed that the generational ranks were assigned based on birth order of each male member, including cousins of the same generation among the extended family members within the Song Dynasty’s Anyang Han clan. This is a similar result to the research previously conducted by the author regarding the Nak-An Sohn clan of the Tang Dynasty. Despite a time gap of about 200 years between the Nak-An Sohn clan of the Tang Dynasty and the Anyang Han clan of the Song Dynasty in Chinese history, both clans are believed to have maintained a hierarchical system, known as “Hangje,” based on the birth order of family members, thereby suggesting a continued tradition of establishing generational ranks to preserve familial order among descendants sharing a common ancestor. In Imperial China, in order to establish the hierarchical order within the same clan, Chinese families adopted the practice of giving family members the names that included a common Chinese character for those of the same generation. Furthermore, each member was assigned a generational rank (行第: Hangje) to further distinguish the order within the family. This family-centric hierarchical structure likely played a crucial role in defining roles and responsibilities within the family, fostering harmony among its members, and contributing to the maintenance of social order.
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Kyoung-A Jang (2024) studied this question.