Genealogy
A genealogy records systematic information about a family's lineage in the form of tables, family trees, and chronological accounts. It documents the reproduction of the family and the deeds of important individuals. A product of the feudal clan system in ancient China, it is a unique element of cultural heritage.
A genealogy represents a family's collective memories about its origin and migrations along with its entire historical and cultural legacy, including births, marriages, culture, and family rules. Genealogies also play a social function in distinguishing the degree of kinship between family members. Among people sharing the same surname or clan, compiling genealogies is a major activity with the primary aim of strengthening a sense of kinship as advocated by Confucian teachings, clarifying family lineages, establishing generational order, promoting respect for ancestors, and fostering harmony and affinity among family members.
Genealogies are invaluable documents. They play a unique and irreplaceable role in academic research across various fields, including history, folklore, demography, sociology, and economics.
家谱
家谱是以表格、谱系、编年等形式记载家族世代相承的系统信息的文献，它记录了家族的繁衍和重要人物事迹，是中国古代宗法制度的产物，也是中国特有的历史文化遗产。
家谱是一个家族共同建构的集体记忆，不仅记载着一个家族的源流和迁徙过程，还涵盖了该家族繁衍、婚姻、文化、族规等历史文化的全记录。在社会功能上，家谱还具有区分家族成员血缘关系亲疏远近的作用。编修家谱是同姓同族人之间的大事，其目的主要是践行儒家重视血缘关系的思想，使族人世系明晰、长幼有序、尊敬祖宗、和睦亲善。
家谱是中华民族珍贵的文献资料，对于历史学、民俗学、人口学、社会学和经济学等各领域的学术研究，具有不可替代的独特作用。