Names matter a great deal in science, as, obviously, they do in all human endeavors. To a scientist, the name of the author – or the authors – of a publication is particularly cogent since a scientific discovery is frequently associated with the name or names of the discoverer (notably, Avogadro's number, Halley's comet, Watson and Crick DNA structure, etcetera). I should note that the retention of names, be they of famous scientists or of casual acquaintances, seems to be age related, so I can be excused for being so faulty in this regard (I'm 91 years old. What's your excuse?).
A special problem arises with the astounding proliferation of research articles by Chinese authors, working both in China and elsewhere. In a recent issue of Frontiers in Microbiology, out of some 800 surnames I counted about 24% as likely Chinese. The problem is that Chinese surnames are relatively unfamiliar to Westerners. They are difficult to associate with occupations, place names, or other connections that one sometimes makes with Western names. Of course, the problem is reciprocal, as Western names may constitute a formidable obstacle to people from Asia and other parts of the world. The problem will abate in time, as science, one hopes, fosters conciliation. But for now, it remains tricky. What to do?
A good place to start may be to learn something about the features of Chinese surnames. Here are a few of them:
- There are thousands of Chinese surnames, yet the 100 most common ones are used by about 85 percent of the people. They are known as “百家姓 Bǎi jiā xìng” (literally, "Hundred Family Names").
- The 3 most common surnames in Mainland China, Li, Wang, and Zhang, make up around 7% of the population each. Together, they are shared by some 300 million people, close to the population of the US.
- Often, the same name is transliterated into a variety of Romanticized forms. While Cheng, Tsang, Zeng, or Zheng all represent 鄭/郑, Chang usually denotes 張/张. Cheng is used to transliterate from traditional Chinese 鄭, whereas Zeng and Zheng are used to transliterate from simplified Chinese 郑.
- Traditionally, Chinese surnames used to serve sociological functions, such a distinguishing the bearer's social status, but this has diminished modern times. Yet some Chinese names have meaning. Some Chinese surnames have meanings. Thus, 黄 means yellow, and 王 means king. 李 can mean plum, and 杨 can mean willow. Words such as 陈, 张, 周 can mean present, open, and round (week), respectively. Therefore, Chinese surnames tend to have more meaning that those in the Western world.
- Common surnames include: 陈 Chén, 李 Lǐ, 刘 Liú, 黄 Huáng, 王 Wáng, 吴 Wú, 杨 Yáng, 张 Zhāng, 赵 Zhào, 周 Zhōu
Analogous problems arise with Korean names, which usually consist of a single syllable (Kim, Lee, Park), but perhaps less so with Japanese ones, which are more varied and usually longer.
The only advice I can come up with is to try to learn as many as possible of the names of Chinese authors whose articles matter to you. Keep in mind the initials of the given names, as this helps identify the person.
A little effort may well pay off. But maybe you have other suggestions. They would be most welcomed.
Good bye, or 再见
Lastly, I thank Prof. Shu Chien for his help and advice.