Chinese: a surname that originated during the Zhou
dynasty (1122–221 bc) from the name of the state of Qi, an
area located in parts of present-day Shandong and Hebei provinces.
Chinese: there are two sources of this name: the
legendary emperor Huang Di (2697–2595 bc) gave one of his
sons the name Qi, and there existed in the state of Jin during the
Spring and Autumn period (722–481 bc) a fief named Qi.
Chinese: in the state of Wei during the Spring
and Autumn period (722–481 bc) Sun Linfu, a high counselor,
was granted the lordship of Qi. Sun Linfu became embroiled in power
struggles within the state of Wei, however, and was defeated. His
descendants fled to the state of Jin, where they adopted the name of
their previous fiefdom, Qi, as their surname.