Yuan Clan#

Clan Name: Yuan, Pronunciation: yuan

Distribution of the Yuan Clan#

• Hunan Commandery: Established during the Han Dynasty as Henan Commandery, which was previously part of the Qin Dynasty’s Sanchuan Commandery, with its administrative center in Luoyang (now Luoyang City, Henan Province).
• Yanmen Commandery: Established by the Zhao State during the Warring States period, corresponding to the area around Dai County in present-day Shanxi Province.

Origin of the Yuan Clan#

There are five theories regarding the origin of the Yuan surname:

1. The Yuan surname originated from Yuan Xian, a virtuous figure from the Shang Dynasty, whose lineage has been passed down through generations.
2. It derives from the Ji surname, specifically from Bi Wan, a descendant of King Wen of Wei during the Spring and Autumn period. Bi Wan adopted the place name as his surname.
3. It originated from the Tuoba surname, descendants of the Xianbei people. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, an imperial edict was issued to change their surname to Yuan.
4. It evolved from the Hegu surname, which was later changed to Yuan.
5. It originated from the Xuan surname, as people changed their surname to Yuan during the Northern Song Dynasty to avoid offending the name of Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin’s father, Zhao Xuanlang.

Ancestor of the Yuan Clan

Yuan Xian is considered the ancestor of the Yuan clan. According to the "Five Books on Surnames," when Emperor Yi of the Shang Dynasty deposed the crown prince and established Zhou Xin (also known as King Zhou of Shang) as the successor, the grand historian Yuan Xian strongly opposed this decision, leading to the establishment of the Yuan surname during that time. The Yuan clan has a history of over 3,000 years.

Despite the various origins, the Yuan clan can be mainly divided into two branches: one descended from King Wen of the Han Chinese, and the other from the Tuoba people, who were later assimilated by the Han Chinese. Both branches were initially active in the regions of Henan and Hebei along the Yellow River. This is supported by the locations of many famous Yuan figures throughout history; for example, the great poet Yuan Zhen and the distinguished official Yuan Jie were both from Henan. This branch of the Yuan clan regards Yuan Xian as their ancestor.

Tuoba Fuhai (Emperor Daowu of the Northern Wei Dynasty): According to the "Book of Wei: Records of Official Families," the youngest son of the Yellow Emperor, Changyi, was granted the land of Beitu. Since the local custom referred to this land as "Tuoba," his family adopted the surname Tuoba. Later, Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty changed it to Yuan. This branch of the Yuan clan has a history of over 1,600 years.

Migration and Distribution

The Yuan surname has not made it into the top 100 most common surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. According to the Qing Dynasty scholar Zhang Shu's "Five Books on Surnames," the Yuan surname already existed during the Shang Dynasty when Emperor Yi deposed the crown prince and Yuan Xian opposed this decision. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, two more branches of the Yuan clan emerged in the states of Wei and Wei. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, at least three more foreign tribes adopted the Yuan surname. The Yuan clan can be divided into two main branches: one from the descendants of King Wen of the Han Chinese and the other from the Tuoba people, who were assimilated by the Han Chinese. Both branches were originally active in the Yellow River basin, specifically in Henan and Hebei. This is also corroborated by the origins of many famous Yuan figures throughout history.

Famous People with the Yuan Surname

• Yuan Xie: Second son of Emperor Xianwen, he was granted the title of Prince of Shiping and later became the Minister of Central Affairs. He was killed in 508 AD and was posthumously honored with various titles. His burial site is located on the north mountain of Changling.
• Yuan Zhen: A poet from Henan (now Luoyang City) during the Tang Dynasty. He ranked first in the imperial examination and served as an official. Although he initially opposed the powerful eunuchs, he later aligned with them. Yuan Zhen was a close friend of Bai Juyi, and together they promoted the new style of poetry, known as the "Yuanhe style." He authored the "Yuanshi Changqing Collection" (100 volumes, 60 volumes of which have survived). His legendary work "Hui Zhen Ji" served as the basis for the later novel "The Romance of the Western Chamber."

In summary, the Yuan clan has a rich and complex history, with roots in the regions of Henan and Hebei along the Yellow River. Both branches of the clan can be traced back to different periods and backgrounds, with some descendants being from ethnic minorities (such as the Xianbei people). The Yuan clan has a history of over 3,000 years and is one of the most prominent surnames in China.