The Preface of the Re-editing of Ma’s Genealogy in Jiajing Period of Ming Dynasty
This is only a first edit translation. More work needs to be done.
An ancient family must have a genealogy. The development history data and maps of each state and county are managed by a special organization. Such an organization for managing historical data is also very important. From the family genealogy, we can understand our roots and know the relatives of the old and the young in our family. Just think, the feeling of respecting the ancestors will naturally arise. We must attach importance to the compilation of the family genealogy and pass it on to future generations. If this is not the case to continue to edit the family tree from generation to generation, then the longer the interval, the more distant it will be separated from future generations. Then fewer people will know about the development of the whole family and not even knowing the ancestral temple of their hometown. Recently, the knowledge about editing genealogy has been lost. Only a few people with knowledge know to pay attention to it. This situation is really amazing. The Ma family was originally descendants of ancient Boyi, and it was passed down to Zhao. The prince was named Mafujun, so he took the Ma family as their surname. Like the Guangxi Ma family’s name is Dayou, who migrated from Maoshan, Zhejiang, the home of longevity. The man named Xiaokuan had migrated from Kaifeng in Henan Province, and Da Yougong was the fifth grandson of Xiaokuan. Ming Ji Gong is a very knowledgeable person. He is very knowledgeable. The Ma family genealogy was edited by Ming Ji Gong; he started with Xiao Kuan when editing their generations. Everyone knows that the Ma clan genealogy passed down to future generations is very important and will be well preserved. However, when the gods in the sky still lose their things, the country’s gold and silver jewels will not be able to survive with the country for a long time. Let alone our common people’s homes? The Ma family tree carefully compiled by Ming Ji Gong will become illegible and unrecognizable after a long time. The eleventh grandson of the Ma family named Rang, he couldn’t bear to look at his own clan. His genealogy disappeared, and the Ma clan genealogy was reorganized and edited. Although the Ma genealogy he compiled did not completely conform to Ou Su’s model, his good attitude of respecting his ancestors can be learned from heaven and earth. One day, he asked his son Duanpeng and grandnephew Wenquan to ask me to write a preface to their re-edited Ma family tree. Therefore, I had the opportunity to read their re-edited Ma family tree. I read it. After I read their re-edited Ma family tree, I think their re-edited Ma family tree records are all true. They are worthy of people’s trust and can be passed on to future generations. The Ma family gradually multiplied and developed from the Han Dynasty. The people in the Ma family, in the meantime, have produced many brilliant achievements and can shine in the annals of history. This is the pride of their entire Ma family. It is a good result of the Ma family’s ancestors accumulating virtue and doing good to benefit future generations.
Gengchen Winter in the Eleventh Year of Jiajing in Ming Dynasty
Written by Chen Xuan of Tongyi Doosan 1, 0014a_1, 0014b