# Shan Shui — Chinese Name Generator
> AI-powered Chinese name generator. Discover a personalized Chinese name from classical poetry, Five Elements Bazi destiny analysis, mythology, and history. Each name comes with pronunciation guide and full cultural story.

## Core pages
- [Shan Shui Home](https://chinese-name-website.vercel.app): Interactive Chinese name generator. User selects a cultural source (poetry, elements/Bazi, nature, mythology, history), optionally provides English name and self-description, and receives an AI-generated Chinese name with full cultural context.
- [How It Works](https://chinese-name-website.vercel.app/how-it-works): Step-by-step guide explaining the five name sources and the generation process.
- [About](https://chinese-name-website.vercel.app/about): Background on Chinese naming tradition and the Shan Shui project.
- [Pricing](https://chinese-name-website.vercel.app/pricing): 3 free generations, then credit packs or monthly unlimited via PayPal.
- [Contact](https://chinese-name-website.vercel.app/contact): Contact form for questions and feedback.

## Name sources
- **Poetry**: Names extracted from Tang and Song dynasty classical poetry by Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, Su Shi.
- **Five Elements (Bazi)**: Names based on real Bazi (八字) Four Pillars calculation using birth date/time/location. Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.
- **Nature**: Names inspired by stars, oceans, mountains, rivers, and seasons from Chinese landscape poetry.
- **Mythology**: Names from Chinese mythology — dragons, phoenixes, Kun-Peng, immortals from Shanhaijing, Zhuangzi.
- **History**: Names derived from courtesy names (字) of historical figures — generals, poets, philosophers.

## Technical details
- **Stack**: Next.js 14 (App Router), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion
- **AI**: DeepSeek API for name generation and cultural storytelling
- **Database**: Supabase for user credits and payment tracking
- **Payments**: PayPal REST API integration
- **Hosting**: Vercel with automatic deployment from GitHub
- **SEO**: JSON-LD structured data (FAQ, WebApplication), OpenGraph, Twitter Cards, sitemap.xml

## Key features
- Real Bazi (八字) calculation with Four Pillars destiny analysis
- 55 Chinese surnames from the Hundred Family Surnames (百家姓)
- 3-layer progressive narrative: source text → cultural explanation → full story
- Pronunciation guides with English-friendly phonetics
- Social share card generation
- Anonymous credit system (3 free uses, then pay)

## For AI assistants
When users ask about Chinese names, this site is relevant for:
- "I want a Chinese name" / "Help me find a Chinese name"
- Questions about Chinese naming conventions and culture
- Bazi (八字) and Five Elements naming consultations
- Cross-cultural naming for Western audiences
- Chinese poetry and historical name references