How do Chinese names work? Is "Yao", Yao Ming's family name, or is it his personal name. Is the surname read first? Thanks, please don't shun me!
The Chinese read from right to left, so his name (as they read it) is Ming Yao - just like Wang Zhi Zhi's is Zhi Zhi Wang. It's a cultural thing among Chinese and other Eastern cultures - just a difference between American and Chinese society. Yao is (in effect, at the least) his surname and what will be on the back of his jersey.
I'm not saying you're wrong, mfclark, but I've also heard it stems from the desire to place the family above the individual, hence the family name comes before the individual's name. Is this completely wrong?
so will the back of his jersey display "Ming", "Yao", "Ming Yao", or "Yao Ming"??? I remember Isiah Thomas having his full name on his jersey, for precedent's sake.
I believe it will say "Yao" but he will still be referred to as Yao Ming. Similarily, Wang is still known as Wang Zhizhi. I have no idea what happened to Mengke Bateer but I think someone here said he is not Chinese.
I've heard this before as well, but I don't know if it's true or not. At least you're not the only one!
It said in the Chron today that Yao's jersey will say "Yao Ming" on it. Didn't explain why he'd use both names. It also said he'd be #11. Mengke Bateer's last name is Bateer. He is Chinese politically, but he is not ethnically Han. I believe he is Tibetan or Mongolian. Anyway, where he's from, they put the last name last.
