Under the father’s leadership, traditional Chinese families lived communally, sharing income, expenses, and property. This practice stemmed from the belief that individuals, regardless of gender, inherited qi 氣 (vital energy) from their fathers, while mothers were considered incubators without qi transmission. This belief fostered unity among family members who shared the same qi and established paternal ancestors as the source of this energy. Family assets were considered essential for perpetuating this qi lineage, and inheritance followed the male line in alignment with the flow of qi. Sons inherited their father’s qi equally, resulting in an equal division of family property among male siblings. The belief that only a male qi was passed down through generations led to large groups sharing the exact same qi. This group was the Chinese lineage, and the surnames corresponded to it.