Bling Empire: All About Christine’s Husband’s Royal Song Family Dynasty

Gabriel Chiu of Bling Empire is said to be a direct descendant of dynastic royalty. In the first episode of the new hit Netflix series, Dr. Chiu’s wife, Christine, one of the central cast members of the show, states that Gabriel is “24th generation direct descent of the Song Dynasty.” Here’s what you should know about the history and royal legacy that the Chius may be a part of.

The Song Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China, dating from 960 AD – 1279 AD. The period began with Emperor Taizu of Song, also known as Zhao Kuangyin, as its leader. This period marked the end of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, which had preceded it. During the Song Dynasty, paper money was introduced to China for the first time, as was gunpowder. In 1279, the dynasty came to an end when the Yuans, a group led by Mongols conquered and unseated the Song/Zhao Imperial Family. Though many of the family died during the takeover, others either remained in the region or escaped to a nearby one.

According to a book written by John W. Chaffee, Branches of Heaven: A History of the Imperial Clan of Sung China, in present-day, there are approximately twenty different branches of the Zhao Imperial Family that remain. Several prominent Chinese leaders through the years have claimed to be descendants of the dynasty themselves, so the Chius are certainly not the only ones out there. In fact, the legacy of the Zhaos is so prolific that the Zhao Family Fort, a former compound where a party of imperials fleeing the Yuans settled covertly in the 13th century, is now a tourist destination. Many of those who make the trip to the fort, located in the Fujian Province of China, are believed to be descendants of the dynastic ruler themselves.

Christine and Gabriel’s last name, Chiu, is actually another form of the name Zhao. The Zhaos, of course, being the imperial family that was pushed out by the Mongols in 1279 AD. According to a website about the history of the family name, ‘Chiu,’ “can be traced back to the Jin Dynasty…when the Chiu/Zhao was one of the seven nations dividing China at the time. But the last name was made famous by Song Dynasty’s first Emperor whose last name is Chiu/Zhao.” 

Though there has been some debate among fans as to whether Christine’s claim is strictly factual, the history behind the Song Dynasty and the Chiu family name seems to back her assertion up. However, Christine’s claim that “if dynasties were still in existence in China, my husband’s father would be an emperor, and he would be next in line” may not be quite as provable. Given that the Song Dynasty ended eight centuries ago and was followed by many other entirely different groups’ ruling, it’s difficult to say who would be in power today if the imperial system was still in place.

Source: Chiu Family, Branches of Heaven: A History of the Imperial Clan of Sung China

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