Introduction: Place of origin and birthplace: Where are you from?

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Last year, I was a guest on CCTV's "China Place Names Conference." When I appeared on stage, the host asked me to introduce my place of origin, and I said Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Friends who know me well were puzzled and asked, "Weren't you born in Huzhou? Why did you say Shaoxing?" I explained that, according to traditional customs, a person’s "native place" refers not to their birthplace but to their ancestral home.

Under current regulations, a person’s native place is typically determined by the residence of their paternal grandfather at the time of their birth. If the grandfather has passed away, it is based on where he lived during his lifetime. Although I was born in Wuxing County, Zhejiang Province (now Nanxun District, Huzhou City), my father was born in Shaoxing, where my late grandfather had lived. Hence, my native place is Shaoxing. Historically, a person’s native place originally referred to the location of their household registration, as "ji" denotes household records.

After Qin Shi Huang unified China, a nationwide household registration system was established. Citizens were required to register their residence in household registers, which documented details such as name, age, physical appearance, and place of residence. For example, wooden slips from the Han Dynasty unearthed in Juyan record individuals' names, counties, villages, ages, heights, and facial features—details from the household registration system of that era.

Household registration was categorized based on social status. Officials were registered under "official households," merchants under "merchant households," and so on. The Qin Dynasty even mandated that merchants’ descendants inherit their registration as merchants, preventing arbitrary changes in status.

If someone left their registered residence without authorization, it was termed "deregistration." Legally moving to another place required "temporary registration." Displaced persons—whether due to exile, natural disasters, or migration—had to re-register to gain legal resident status, either in their original or new residence, but only under specific conditions.

For most people in ancient agricultural societies, their native place corresponded to their residence. Migration was rare, and strong ties to land and clan encouraged families to return to their ancestral homes whenever possible. Thus, today’s concept of a native place often reflects this historical stability.

However, there were exceptions. Floating populations, officials serving in different regions, merchants, and doctors often left their registered households. Their household registrations, however, typically remained in their native places. Even major cities like Chang’an (capital of the Han Dynasty) restricted household registrations. High-ranking officials born and raised in Chang’an would still register in their ancestral homes and had to return there after retirement.

Border regions also had strict controls. Soldiers stationed at frontiers were required to return to their hometowns after their service. This is evident in records like the "Juyan Han Bamboo Slips," which document the hometowns of border personnel.

During the Cao Wei period, the Nine-Rank Zhongzheng system was introduced. Officials called "Zhongzheng" were appointed to evaluate individuals based on family background (the most important factor) and personal achievements. Families were ranked by social status and reputation, influencing individual evaluations. Consequently, noble families dominated official positions, while those from humble backgrounds faced significant barriers.

Family status was tied to surnames and native places. Notable clans, such as the Wang family of Langya and Taiyuan, or the Cui family of Qinghe, were identified by their native place. This link gave rise to the concept of "county surnames," like the Tang dynasty’s Longxi Li or the Song dynasty’s Tianshui Zhao.

As social mobility was limited, some individuals falsified family histories or changed their native place to associate with noble families. Since altering family genealogies was difficult, many chose to forge a connection to prestigious native places. This led to government investigations during the Southern Dynasties to expose fraudulent claims.

From the Wei and Jin Dynasties through the Sui and Tang Dynasties, native place and household registration were closely linked to social rights and obligations. For instance, taxes, labor duties, and even imperial examination quotas were tied to household registration. Wealthy regions like Jiangsu faced stricter quotas, while less developed regions like Yunnan enjoyed more leniency, creating disparities.

Some individuals exploited this system. Historian Zhao Yi, for instance, circumvented the competitive quotas in his hometown of Changzhou by using his uncle’s household registration in Tianjin to sit for exams, ultimately earning national recognition.

During the Ming Dynasty, the Weisuo military system further restricted mobility. Military families were bound to their registration and faced severe penalties for attempting to register as civilians.

In conclusion, while a native place may seem like a simple record of residence, it has historically carried significant social, economic, and political implications. Its connection to household registration reflects broader historical contexts, making it a fascinating subject of study.