Common Genealogy Documents

1. Lineage Chart (世系图/shì xì tú)

Visual representation of family relationships showing: - Ancestors from founding generation - All descendants through generations - Generation numbers

2. Ancestor Biography (行传/xíng zhuàn)

Detailed biographies including: - Full name - Birth/death dates - Spouse information - Life achievements - burial location

3. Marriage Record (婚书/hūn shū)

Formal marriage documentation: - Bride and groom's full names - Family backgrounds - Dowry details - Wedding date - Witnesses

4. Land Record (地契/dì qì)

Property documentation: - Land location and size - Transaction details - Family members involved - Dates

5. Testament (遗嘱/yí zhǔ)

Estate distribution documents: - Final wishes - Asset division - Heir designations

Key Terminology

Family Terms

- 祖父 (zǔ fù) — Grandfather - 父亲 (fù qīn) — Father - 祖先 (zǔ xiān) — Ancestors - 子孙 (zǐ sūn) — Descendants - 兄弟姐妹 (xiōng dì jiě mèi) — Siblings

Genealogy Terms

- 族谱 (zú pǔ) — Family genealogy - 辈分 (bèi fèn) — Generation - 字辈 (zì bèi) — Generational character - 祠堂 (cí táng) — Ancestral hall

Document Terms

- 出生日期 (chū shēng rì qī) — Date of birth - 逝世日期 (shì shì rì qī) — Date of death - 婚姻状况 (hūn yīn zhuàng kuàng) — Marital status - 籍贯 (jí guàn) — Ancestral home