In East Asian Buddhism, monks and nuns usually adopt a Buddhist surname and a Dharma name, which are combined in the surname-first East-Asian naming order. Since the 4th century the standard Buddhist surname has been Shi (Chinese: 釋, Korean: Seok, Vietnamese: Thích,^[1] Japanese: Shaku), which is the first syllable of Shijiamouni, the Chinese word for Shakyamuni.^[2] This practice was introduced by the Jin dynasty (266–420) monk Dao'an in around 370, when he stayed in Xiangyang,^[3] and became general practice in China after 385.^[2] Previously Chinese monks and nuns used several other Buddhist surnames, typically designating the ethnonational origin of their foreign preceptors.^[2]

The most notable early surname was Zhu (Chinese: 竺; pinyin: Zhú; Wade–Giles: Chu²; Jyutping: Zuk¹),^[4] which came from Tianzhu (the Chinese word for India).^[5] Jingjian (292–361) or Zhu Jingjian was the first nun of China. Daosheng (c. 360–434) or Zhu Daosheng was one of the last influential monks to use Zhu rather than Shi.^[2]

Other Buddhist surnames included:

• Zhi (Chinese: 支) which came from Yuezhi or its successor state, the Kushan Empire.^[6] Examples include Zhi Qian and Zhi Dun.
• An (Chinese: 安) which came from Anxi (the Chinese word for Arsacid). Examples include An Xuan and An Shigao.^[7]
• Yu (Chinese: 于) which came from Yutian (the Chinese word for Khotan).^[8]
• Kang (Chinese: 康) which was a designation for Sogdiana. An example is Kang Senghui.^[9]
• Bo (Chinese: 帛) which came from the Chinese word for the surname of several Kucha kings, Bo (Chinese: 白).^[10]

The adoption of a Buddhist surname signifies the ordinand's severance of family bonds and their full devotion to the teachings of the Buddha.^[2]