Dong Family Surname#

Surname: Dong, pronounced as dōng

Distribution of the Dong Family Surname#

Pingyuan Commandery: Established in the early Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE), corresponding to the area around present-day Pingyuan County in the northwest of Shandong Province.

Origin of the Dong Family Surname#

There are three theories regarding the origin of the Dong surname:

1. The Dong surname originated from one of Shun’s seven friends, Dong Buzi. According to the “Ji Yun,” Dong Buzi was one of Shun’s seven friends, who were Xiong Tao, Fang Hui, Xu Ya, Boyang, Dong Buzi (also written as Dong Bushi), Qin Buxu, and Ling Fu. One of the “Shi Zi” texts states, “Shun’s friend was Dong Bushi,” and the “Guang Yun” also mentions Dong Buzi. Some descendants of Dong Buzi adopted “Dong” as their surname, thus forming the Dong family.

2. The Dong surname also came from the Feng family; descendants of Fuxi changed their surname to Dong. As recorded in the “Lu Shi,” some members of the Dongmeng family, who were descendants of Fuxi, lived in the east and adopted the local name as their surname.

3. Among the thirteen surnames revived during the Han Dynasty were Donggong, Dongguo, Dongmen, Dongye, Dongtian, Dongling, Donglai, Dongqiu, Dongxiang, Dongli, Dongguan, and Donglu. Some of these people later changed their surnames to Dong.

The progenitor of the Dong family is Dong Buzi. According to the “Tong Zhi · Shi Zu Lue,” the Dong family is a descendant of Dong Buzi, with their ancestral home in Pingyuan. The “Shi Xing Kao Lue” also mentions Dong Buzi as a descendant of Fuxi, with the same ancestral home in Pingyuan. Based on these records, the Dong family has a history of approximately 4,000 years. The ancestral home of the Dong family is located in Pingyuan Commandery (southern part of present-day Pingyuan County, Shandong Province). Descendants of the Dong family regard Dong Buzi as the founder of the Dong surname.

Migration and Distribution

The Dong surname does not rank within the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. It is said that Fuxi was the leader of a tribal group in the east, and his tribe developed rapidly with advanced farming techniques, leaving an indelible mark on Chinese history. One of Fuxi’s seven friends, named Dong Buzi (or Dong Bushi), and his descendants adopted the surname “Dong” in his honor.

Hall Names

• You Shun Tang: In ancient times, Dong Buzi was a friend of Shun.
• Yulin Tang: During the Ming Dynasty, Dong Sheng was a learned and talented man who educated his children well. Three of his four sons became successful scholars, earning him the title “Yulin Fengqun, a family of distinguished scholars.”

Common Couplets for Dong Family Ancestral Halls

• Couplet for the Dong Family Ancestral Hall:
  • “Guarding the noble lineage of China; The learned Dong of the Ming Dynasty.” (Alluding to Dong Lianghui from the Yuan Dynasty, who served as a governor in Shangzhou. During the Red Turban Rebellion, he ordered his two sons to flee with their families; one settled in Huazhou and the other in Chaoyi. Their descendants became a prominent family in Guanzhong.)
  • “A friend of Emperor Shun; A Central Official of the Han Dynasty.” (Alluding to Dong Buzi, one of Shun’s seven friends, and Dong Fu, a central official of the Han Dynasty.)

Anecdotes and Stories about the Dong Family

• The Story of Dong Shi Imitating Xi Shi’s Beauty: The story “Dong Shi Imitating Xi Shi’s Beauty” comes from the “Zhuangzi · Tian Yun.” Xi Shi was a beautiful woman from the State of Yue during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. When Dong Shi, a less attractive woman from the same village, saw Xi Shi’s beautiful appearance, she tried to imitate her by covering her chest and frowning. However, people found her behavior grotesque and avoided her. This story illustrates the phenomenon of copying someone’s appearance without success, often resulting in ridicule.

The Dong family is an ancient Chinese surname with a long history of around 4,000 years, originating from Pingyuan Commandery (southern part of present-day Shandong Province). Descendants of Dong Buzi consider him the founder of the Dong surname.