Minamoto clan(源,Minamoto-shi) was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period (AD 794–1185), although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of the imperial dynasty. The Minamoto clan is also called the Genji(源氏), using the Sino–Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters for Minamoto (gen, from Middle Chinese ngüon) and family (ji, from MC dʒje).