Courtesy and Art Names

In traditional Chinese culture, a person might accumulate several names throughout their lifetime. Beyond the given name (名, míng), two of the most important were the courtesy name (字, zì) and the art name or pseudonym (号, hào). Together referred to as zì hào (字号), these names served distinct social functions and reflected the layered complexity of Chinese personal identity.

The Courtesy Name (字)

The zì was bestowed upon reaching adulthood — traditionally at the capping ceremony (冠礼, guānlǐ) held at age 20 for men. Once a man received his zì, it became improper for anyone outside his family elders to use his given name. Peers, friends, and colleagues would address him by his courtesy name instead. The zì typically complemented or expanded upon the meaning of the given name. The poet Lǐ Bái (李白, míng: 白, white) had the courtesy name Tàibái (太白, great white).

The Art Name (号)

Unlike the zì, which was formally bestowed, the hào was self-chosen and could be adopted or changed freely at any point in life. Scholars, poets, and painters used art names to express personal philosophy, aesthetic ideals, or connection to a beloved landscape. The Song Dynasty poet Sū Shì (苏轼) called himself Dōngpō Jūshì (东坡居士, the Recluse of the Eastern Slope) after the farming plot he tended during exile. Some literati accumulated dozens of art names over a lifetime. While the courtesy name system faded after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, art names survive today in calligraphy circles, traditional painting, and literary communities, preserving this elegant tradition of self-expression through naming.