TL;DR: A gia phả is a book recording the generational order of a clan's members, usually kept at the clan hall, in the long khám (altar cabinet) or a separate box on the altar bed. The 1932 quốc văn genealogy template by Dương Bá Trạc lists for each ancestor: taboo name, courtesy name, style name, birth date, death date, burial place, occupation in life, virtues or achievements, and how many sons and daughters were born to the principal, second, or concubine wife. Each generation requires rewriting the genealogy because kinship terms shift.
What Is a Gia Phả and Where Did People Keep It?
A gia phả is a book that records the generational order of a clan's members, noting family names, titles, and birth and death dates of ancestors and household members. According to Phan Kế Bính (1915) in Việt Nam phong tục, every clan hall had such a book, and he calls it Gia-phả[1]. Toan Ánh (2001) in Phong tục thờ cúng tổ tiên trong gia đình Việt Nam also describes the gia phả as a family chronicle; he notes that the book was kept at the clan hall, stored in the long khám (altar cabinet), sometimes placed in a separate box on the altar bed[2]. In Phong tục thờ cúng của người Việt, Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (compilers, 2006) also write that the genealogy book was usually kept in a cabinet or placed on a separate tier of the altar[3].
These three books describe Kinh (Viet) customs, mainly in the northern delta, from the early to the late 20th century; they should not be generalized to all regions or all ethnic groups.
What Items Does a Gia Phả Record?
The most specific answer is in the quốc văn genealogy template compiled by Dương Bá Trạc, printed in Gia lễ giản yếu in 1932[4]. According to this template, each ancestor is recorded with:
- Taboo name, courtesy name, style name.
- Day, month, and year of birth; day, month, and year of death.
- Burial place.
- Occupation in life, good virtues, and great achievements if any.
- Number of sons and daughters born; for each child, whether born to the principal wife, second wife, or concubine, along with each child's name.
Regarding wives, the book instructs that when a household has principal, second, and concubine wives, all must be recorded; the only exception is when the compiler belongs to the line of the principal or second wife and the concubine wife has children who worship separately in another line, then the concubine wives need not be recorded. If a detail is forgotten, leave it blank[4].
Phan Kế Bính (1915) adds that in great families the genealogy records the deeds and accomplishments of ancestors and the locations of graves, serving as a family chronicle[1]. Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (2006) note that the genealogy sometimes preserves the temperament and preferences of the deceased in life; the book also clearly records who gave birth to each person and who belongs to the senior or junior branch[3].
Table: Items Recorded for Each Person per the 1932 Template
| Item | Content Recorded |
|---|---|
| Name | Taboo name, courtesy name, style name |
| Dates | Day, month, year of birth; day, month, year of death |
| Burial place | Where buried |
| Life details | Occupation in life, notable virtues, great achievements |
| Children | Number of sons and daughters; names of sons and daughters; which were born to the principal, second, or concubine wife |
The table above summarizes the items in Dương Bá Trạc's 1932 template[4]. For wives, the book lists separate headings: Hiển khảo (father), Hiển tỉ (mother), Kế hiển tỉ (stepmother), Thứ hiển tỉ (mother who is a concubine), each with lines for taboo name, courtesy name, style name, birth, death, burial place, and life details.
Why Must the Genealogy Be Rewritten Each Generation?
Dương Bá Trạc (1932) explains that with each additional generation, the kinship terms used for earlier generations change, so the genealogy must be rewritten for every generation[4]. The template is calculated with the compiler as the reference: oneself is the first generation, parents the second, grandparents the third, great-grandparents the fourth, great-great-grandparents the fifth, and so on up to the sixth, seventh, and eighth generations. Thus the same ancestor is called ông by the child's generation, cụ by the grandchild's generation, and kỵ by the great-grandchild's generation; without rewriting, the generational relationships in the book would become misaligned over time.
The book's instruction on recording follows the same principle: the compiler should rely on the listed template to create the genealogy; record as far back as one remembers, record whatever items one remembers, and leave blank what one cannot recall[4].
How Was the Genealogy Written in Quốc Ngữ?
Dương Bá Trạc (1932) notes that previously family genealogies were written in Chinese characters; when quốc ngữ was valued and few people learned Chinese characters, he feared that in a few decades few would be able to read their family's old genealogies. Therefore he compiled a template for writing genealogies in quốc ngữ, not ornate or literary, but simple, so that both educated and uneducated people could use it to write their family genealogy[4].
The specific method according to the template: count oneself as one generation, then successively go up the earlier generations; record each person according to the listed items; leave blank what is not remembered. The book also leaves blank pages from page 19 onward for the owner to write their family genealogy[4]. This is noteworthy: the template is not a sample essay to be copied verbatim but a form with lines to fill in.
As for form, Phan Kế Bính (1915) and Song Mai, Quỳnh Trang (2006) both note that genealogies were usually written on sắc paper, neatly and clearly, to show respect for ancestors[1][3]. Large clans often had the genealogy copied or printed in multiple copies, giving one to each branch so descendants would know the ancestors' history[1][3].
Who Kept the Genealogy and Where in the Clan Hall?
According to Toan Ánh (2001), the genealogy book was kept at the clan hall: he mentions storing it in the long khám (altar cabinet) or placing it in a separate box on the altar bed[2]. In Phong tục thờ cúng của người Việt, Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (2006) also note that the genealogy was usually kept in a cabinet, sometimes placed as a separate tier right on the altar[3]. Phan Kế Bính (1915) only says the genealogy was kept at the clan hall and that great families printed copies to distribute to each branch[1].
As for the keeper, the books do not agree and do not clearly state who directly stored it. One common point: the genealogy belongs to the clan hall, not to a private household.
Regarding clan worship and clan halls in a specific locality, the article Tục thờ cúng ở Nghệ An: nhà thờ họ, đền làng Kim Lũy và đền Cuông has presented this separately; this article does not repeat it.
How Does a Gia Phả Differ from Steles, Sắc Phong, and Other Clan Documents?
The books only say that the genealogy is a book recording generational order and ancestral deeds; they do not equate it with stone steles or sắc phong. Phan Kế Bính (1915) calls the genealogy a family chronicle, emphasizing its function of remembrance[1]. Toan Ánh (2001) also uses that term[2]. The distinction between types of clan documents such as genealogies, steles, and sắc phong is not discussed in the books; this is a point where evidence is insufficient to assert details.
Points to Note When Reading These Books
The books mentioned are descriptive records of customs, not methodologically rigorous field research. They repeat many passages, so they should not be considered multiple independent sources confirming each other. The scope of description is the Kinh people, mainly the northern delta, from the early to the late 20th century; it should not be extrapolated to the central or southern regions or other ethnic groups when the books do not say so. And this is a recorded custom, not a duty or a promise of spiritual benefit for today's readers.
