Origins
Jade Jing Totem Tradition
A tradition traces the Jing surname to an ancient tribe that used “jade Jing” as its totem. Its members wore jade ornaments to worship the sun and moon, and pottery bearing a “Jing” pattern was reportedly unearthed at their settlement site in Yanshi, Henan.
Zhou Official-Title Traditions
Two Zhou-era official-title traditions are recorded: one says descendants of the “Jingren,” custodians of royal jade, were granted the surname Jing; the other says some descendants of the “Jingyin,” officials overseeing jade production, adopted their office as a surname.
Southern Song Taboo-Avoidance Tradition
A tradition says that during the Southern Song, some members of the Zhao clan changed their surname to Jing to avoid a homophone of Emperor Xiaozong Zhao Shen’s personal name. The Huizhou Zhao genealogy explains “Jing” as “the radiance of jade.”