Pedigree chart

曾姓字辈

** ** The surname (or last name) of our family descendant has various English spelling after many generations, especially those who had migrated overseas. The spelling varies from Tsen, Chen, Chan, Tsang to Tse and etc…, but the Chinese character 曾 remains universal. For the purpose of easy reading, the word TSEN is used in the following article as the family's surname.

Genealogy is meant to study the links and trace the family tree, the order of family generations and histories.

The ‘given names’ (or first names) of the TSEN family clan consist of two Chinese characters; the first character demonstrates the order of generation in the family clan. By associating the Chinese character in the pedigree chart, we are able to trace the lineage and family tree of our ancestors; hence, we are able to determine which generation level we were born at.

The second character normally represents the distinct name or a person’s calling name, usually pronounced with the first character. Close or immediate relatives would avoid using the same given name once it is used by a new born.

In the ancient times, Chinese family clans that carry the same surname would look upon their pedigree chart earnestly and solemnly, particularly when recording their family’s genealogy.

During the time of Kangxi or K'ang Hsi, second Qing Emperor（1661-1722）， the TSEN family 63th generation begin to use the pedigree chart conferred by the Sheng Zu Ren Emperor ancestor. The Chart consists of 3 sentences with 15 characters.

宏闻贞尚衍，兴毓传继广， (昭)(宪) (庆) (繁) (祥)。
__given name that we use__ (其) (恩) (国) (立) (子)
(Qi)(En)(Guo)(Li)(Zi)

And we continue using the pedigree chart conferred by Xuan Zhong Cheng Emperor, which consist of two sentences with 10 characters..

(令) (德) 维 垂 佑，钦绍念贤扬。
(令)
Ling

During the year 1912, General Yuan Shi Kai (some record said it was granted by the 67th generation of Confucius descendant Ling Yi) granted the TSEN Family with another set of pedigree chart, which consist of 4 sentences with 10 characters.

建道敦安定，懋修肇彝常，蔚文焕景瑞，永锡世绪昌。

Before the TSEN family clan uses the common pedigree chart, TSEN in different area of china doesn’t have a reference for their order of generation. The Lung San (龙山) people, which is one of the ethnic group use ,

奎璧呈云瑞，人文焕国华；召衡思继武，鼎甲励承家。
一贯书绅永，千秋锡福遐；眙谋资燕翼，世业仰清嘉。

as their pedigree chart.

Each character in the chart represents a family generation, and the character was used to associate the level of linage in the family tree. This will allow us to determine whether we should address our relative as our elder, equal or younger generation.

Currently, by using the pedigree chart provided, we are able to trace back 8th generation of our family tree who originate from Yuan Keng Village.