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Subject:林星吉堂 The Clan of Lin Xing Ji
Posted By: Super Wed, Feb 14, 2018
Reading the chop mark shown in your second picture from the top, starting with the character 林 in the middle (top) and reading clockwise:
林星吉堂
林 is the #17 largest surname in China, my maternal grandpa and my mom had the same surname and it can be pronounced differently depending which part of China from which you originated. E.g. Lin, Lam, Lim, etc.
星吉 Xing Ji would be the name of the person;
堂 Tang usually means hall, a large conference room but in this case it can mean a clan, an organization, a society of descendent who came from the same ancestor.
In Hong Kong, although people with surname Lam 林 may come from different parts of China, but they would say instead they belong to 林西河堂 (Lam Sai Ho Tong, Cantonese), the clan of Lam Sai Ho.
西河 Xi He is a very ancient Chinese province and during the Chou dynasty the Chou Emperor bestowed the surname of 林 Lin (Lam) on one of his officials with Xi He being his bestowed land (in the current He Bei province). Therefore, many Chinese with surname 林 are very proud to call themselves the clan of Lin Xi He 林西河堂. In Toronto you would see a building of 林西河堂.
Unfortunately, I could not find too much on 林星吉堂 but I believe it is used in similar way like that of 林西河堂, the clan of Lin Xing Ji.
Hope this helps.
Super
2/14/18
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