In the history of the Chinese people, there are three important elements: China's history, the local gazette and a clan's genealogy, amongst which, genealogy has the longest history and is the most influential.

Jia Pu (genealogy), also known as Zu Pu, is a record of a clan's history and lineage. It documents the origins of the surname, the migration patterns of the clan, the family lineage, the ancestral biography, and the story of the locality, etc.

The origin of Jia Pu spans many eras and has been found as early as the Shang Dynasty (17century-11 century BC). The family trees of the clans then were written on turtle shells, cow bones and bronze. Prior to the invention of writing, Chinese genealogical information was recorded by tying knots on ropes. Objects such as miniature arrows, shoes, cradle, bronze coins, kneecaps of goats and pigs were tied to the knots to show the number of generations, and number of members (male and female), etc. in a family. This information was also verbally passed on to the later generations. Such were the earliest forms of Chinese genealogical record.

The written Jia Pu contains entries about the migrations of the people and social evolution. It tracks the growth of the clan members by recording in detail their political, military and academic achievements. It also eulogizes the clan's ancestors and encourages the future generations to do worthy causes to maintain the good name of the clan.

A Jia Pu usually begins with the primogenitor that first settled or moved to a place and started his family there, and should end with the contemporary generation that draws up the genealogy. The intermediate ancestors are to be enumerated in between. The primogenitor's sons and descendents compose the first six generations and are tabulated on one form. The primogenitor's first-borne son and subsequent first-borne grandsons are listed vertically downwards on the right, while the brothers of the first-borne are listed laterally on the left. Descriptions of each generation are confined in relatively narrow, horizontal divisions of the form. These spaces contain information such as the ancestor's name and aliases, date of birth and death and official rank. The proceeding generations are recorded in a similar manner.  

Jia Pu usually does not have prominent records of the women in the family. This is because in ancient Chinese families greater emphasis was placed on the sons who carried on the family name. When daughters were married, they were considered a part of their husband's family. Although their names were mentioned in both their family and in-law's Jia Pu, their significance was usually marginalized since they were unlikely to extend the family's lineage.

Researchers are now studying Chinese genealogies as a supplement to other research areas such as social economic history, geographical history, history of law, population history, religion and culture, history of overseas Chinese, inheritance practices and biography of historical figures.