The 黎 surname

Li (黎) is one of the surnames of Taishan. The Li surname is fairly widespread in southern China, and especially common in the Guangdong and Hong Kong area.^[1] No reliable written source has yet been found on the first migrant ancestor of the Taishan Li or on how they came to Taishan.

Origin of the surname[edit]

There are several accounts of the origin of the Li surname. One says the Li are descendants of the Nine Li (九黎) of high antiquity; another that it comes from Li (黎国), a vassal state of the Shang dynasty whose old territory is in present-day Licheng County (黎城县), Changzhi, Shanxi: Li was destroyed at the beginning of the Zhou, King Wu of Zhou later gave this land as a fief to a descendant of Emperor Yao, and the descendants of the Marquis of Li took the name of the state as their surname. In the Northern and Southern dynasties, the Suli (素黎) clan of the Xianbei also changed their name to Li (see the “Treatise on Officials and Clans” of the Book of Wei, 《魏书·官氏志》). The ancestral commandery of the Li surname is Jingzhao (京兆).^[1] Apart from the Book of Wei, most of the origins section of that Wikipedia article gives no sources.

Coming to Taishan[edit]

How the Li came to Taishan and where they live is yet to be added. Family members who know more are welcome to edit this article.