The Gongye Clan#

Clan Name: Gongye, pronounced as gōng yě

Regions where the Gongye Clan is Found**#

Lu State: At the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, Xue County was reorganized to form the Lu State, which was later renamed a commandery during the Jin Dynasty. The administrative center of the Lu State was located in Lu County (present-day Qufu, Shandong Province).

Origin of the Gongye Clan#

The origin of the Gongye clan is quite straightforward. It stems from the Ji surname and is a descendant of the Ji family, which took its ancestor's given name as its clan name. According to the Guoyu Zhù (Comments on the Discourses of the States), during the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a man named Ji Ye from the Lu State. His given name was Gongye, and he held the rank of dafu (a high-ranking official). His descendants later adopted Gongye as their clan name. The Gongye clan is an ancient one, with a history of over 2,500 years. The clan originated in the Lu State and traces its lineage back to Ji Ye, a member of the prominent Ji family. Since Ji Ye's given name was Gongye, his descendants adopted this name as their own.

The Founding Ancestor of the Clan

Ji Ye was a man from the Lu State during the Spring and Autumn Period. He also took the name Gongye, and his descendants adopted this name as their clan name. Over time, the name was simplified to just “Gong.” Many surnames with the prefix “Gong” originated from royalty and nobility, and the Gongye clan is no exception. The Gongye clan is a descendant of the Ji family, which in turn was a descendant of Ji You, the son of Duke Heng of Lu. Ji You’s elder brother was Duke Zhuang of Lu. When Duke Zhuang died, Ji You’s son was made the next ruler. However, Ji You was later persecuted and had to flee. When he returned to the state, his younger son was made the ruler, known as Duke Xi of Lu. The Ji family prospered, and among them was a man named Ji Ye, who also had the name Gongye, thus giving rise to the Gongye clan.

Distribution of the Clan

The Gongye clan is not among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. With a history of over 2,500 years, the Ji family from the Lu State was a prominent and influential clan during that period. Among the Ji family, there was Ji Ye, who took the name Gongye. Some members of the Gongye clan also inherited the surname of Gongye Chang, a disciple of Confucius. Like many other compound surnames, the Gongye clan eventually simplified to just the single surname “Gong.” The Gongye clan is mainly found in the areas of Qufu and Sishui in present-day Shandong Province.

Hall Names (Tanghao):

Botong Hall: Confucius had a disciple named Gongye Chang, who could understand the language of birds. One day, he heard a bird say, “Gongye Chang, there’s a tiger carrying a sheep on Nanshan; you eat the meat, and I’ll eat the intestines.” Assuming the tiger had killed the sheep, Gongye Chang went to Nanshan to investigate. Instead, he found a man being killed there. The local authorities, thinking Gongye Chang was the murderer, arrested him. Upon questioning, Gongye Chang explained that he had been deceived by the bird. To test him, the authorities cooked rice with salt and fed it to the bird in a cage, then brought the bird before Gongye Chang. The bird kept calling out, and Gongye Chang identified the salt in the rice. Realizing that Gongye Chang was innocent, the authorities released him.

Notable People with the Gongye Surname

Gongye Chang: A native of the State of Qi during the late Spring and Autumn Period, Gongye Chang was one of Confucius’ seventy-two esteemed disciples. In the Analects of Confucius, there is a chapter dedicated to discussing Gongye Chang’s character and talents. Gongye Chang was known for his virtue and his ability to understand the language of birds, making him a versatile and accomplished individual.