Yun Surname#

Surname: Yun, Pronunciation: yún

Distribution of the Yun Surname#

• Langya Commandery: During the Spring and Autumn Period, the state of Qi had the territory of Langya, located northwest of Langya Terrace in present-day Jiaoxian County, Shandong Province. There is a legend that Goujian, the king of Yue, moved the capital here. The Qin Dynasty established Langya County and made it the administrative center of Langya Commandery, which covered the southeastern part of the Shandong Peninsula. During the Han Dynasty, the administrative center was moved to Dongwu (present-day Zhucheng). In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the capital of Langya State was moved to Kaiyang (north of present-day Linyi). In the Northern Wei Dynasty, the administrative center was in Jiqiu (southeast of present-day Linyi). During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, there was the Langya Commandery of Yizhou. Since the time of Langya State during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, both Langya Terrace and the administrative center of Langya Commandery under the Qin Dynasty were not part of Langya Commandery itself.
• Henan Commandery: Established during the reign of Emperor Gao of Han, it was originally part of the Qin Dynasty's Sanchuan Commandery, with its administrative center in Luoyang (in the area of present-day Luoyang City, Henan Province). During the Sui Dynasty, it became part of Yuzhou Henan Commandery, and in the Tang Dynasty, it was renamed Luozhou Henan Prefecture, with a much smaller jurisdiction than the Han Dynasty's Henan Commandery. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was reorganized as a circuit, and in the Ming Dynasty, it became a prefecture.

Origins of the Yun Surname#

The Yun surname has four possible origins:

1. It originated from the Zhu Rong family, descendants of Zhuanxu, a descendant of the Yellow Emperor. According to the "Lushi" (History of Routes), Zhu Rong served as the official in charge of fire during the reign of Emperor Ku. He was revered as a deity by later generations. After being granted a fief in the Yunluo area, his descendants adopted the surname "Zhu Rong," which was later simplified to "Yun."
2. It also originated from the Zhu Rong family, descendants of the official in charge of fire during the reign of Emperor Ku, who adopted the name of their fief as their surname. According to the "Tongzhi·Shizhu Lue" (Comprehensive Records of Surnames and Clans), Zhu Rong's descendants were granted the fief of Yun (present-day Anlu County, Hubei Province), which was later conquered by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. Their descendants adopted the name of their fief as their surname, which was further simplified to "Yun."
3. It originated from the Jinyun family, descendants of an official during the Yellow Emperor's time. According to the "Xingyuan" (Garden of Surnames) and the "Xingshi Kaolue" (Brief Research on Surnames), the Jinyun family was an official title during the Yellow Emperor's time. This surname has been passed down for 5,000 years in China.
4. It originated from the conversion of minority surnames: For example, during the Northern Wei Dynasty, there were the compound surnames Youlian and Xiyun, which were later simplified to "Yun."

Originator of the Surname: The originator of the Yun surname is Zhu Rong. Zhuanxu was the grandson of the Yellow Emperor and ruled for 78 years. His descendants played a significant role in Chinese history. One branch of his descendants originally used the surname "Zhu Rong," from which the surname "Yun" emerged.

Migration and Distribution: The Yun surname is not among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. It originated from the "Zhu Rong" family and later had the character "nu" (female) removed to form the surname "Yun." During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was the state of Yun (also known as Yun State), which was later conquered by the state of Chu. Its descendants adopted the name of their state as their surname, giving rise to the surnames "Yun," "Yun," "Yun," and "Yuan." Another branch of the Yun surname originated during the great ethnic integration period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties when the Xianbei people migrated south with the Northern Wei Dynasty and settled in Luoyang, adopting the surname "Yun."

Notable People with the Yun Surname: Yun Chongwei, courtesy name Daoshu, styled Ding'an, was from Shuibei. Despite living in poverty, he remained composed and opposed superstitious practices. He burned idols during festivals to eliminate these beliefs, which helped reduce evil influences in the community. He was willing to help with public welfare and resolve disputes, but refused official promotions. He wrote books such as "Chu Xie Pian" (Chapter on Eliminating Evil) and "Yili Zazhu" (Miscellaneous Writings on Rituals) and passed away at the age of 82.