The Gongliang Clan#

Clan Name: Gongliang, pronounced as gōng liáng

Distribution of the Gongliang Clan#

• Chenliu Commandery: Chenliu County was established in the 26th year of King Ying Zheng of Qin (Gengchen, 221 BCE). In the 1st year of Emperor Wu of Han’s Yuanshou era (Jiwei, 122 BCE), it was reorganized into Chenliu Commandery, with its administrative center in Chenliu (now Kaifeng, Henan Province). At that time, its jurisdiction covered the area from the eastern part of present-day Henan Province to Minquan County and Ningling County in the south, to Kaifeng City and Weishi County in the west, to Yanjin County in the north, and to Qi County in the south.
• Dongjun Commandery: Dongjun Commandery was founded in the 5th year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (Gengshen, 242 BCE) on the territory of the former Wei State. It included the areas of Daming Prefecture in Hebei Province, Dongchang Prefecture in Shandong Province, and the region west of Changqing County. During the Western Han Dynasty, its administrative center was in Puyang County (now Puyang, Henan Province), and its jurisdiction extended to the southern part of present-day Henan Province and the eastern and western parts of Shandong Province.

Origin of the Gongliang Clan#

The Gongliang surname originates from the Guī surname and traces its roots to the descendants of Gongzi Liang of the Chen State during the Spring and Autumn Period. This surname was derived from the name of the ancestor. According to the historical record "Tongzhi·Shizhu Lüe," during the Western Zhou Dynasty, a nobleman of the Chen State named Gongzi Liang was so respected that his descendants adopted the combination of his title (“Gong” – noble) and his name (“Liang”) as their surname. In the late Spring and Autumn Period, a descendant of Gongzi Liang named Gongliang Ru traveled to the state of Lu to study under Confucius and became one of Confucius’ distinguished students. He not only played a key role in Confucius’ travels across various states but also saved Confucius’ life in the city of Pu (now Changyuan, Henan Province). Afterward, the Gongliang clan became well-known. Some members of the clan later changed their surnames to Gong, Liang, or Liang, while others continued to use the Gongliang surname, passing it down through generations to the present day. The Gongliang clan reveres Gongzi Liang as the progenitor of their surname.

Progenitor of the Surname: Gongzi Liang

Migration and Distribution: Although the Gongliang surname is an ancient Han Chinese surname, it does not rank among the top 300 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province. In the Song Dynasty edition of the "Baijiaxing" (List of Hundred Surnames), it was ranked 453rd. The Gongliang surname has a history of over 2,600 years. It is not among the top 100 most common surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. It is a relatively rare surname. According to "Xingshiming Lüe," the founder of the clan was Gongzi Liang of the Chen State during the Spring and Autumn Period. His descendants combined the word “Gong” (noble) from his title with the word “Liang” from his name to form the surname “Gongliang.” Gongliang Ru, a prominent disciple of Confucius, is a famous member of this clan. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Chen State was located in the Huaiyang area of present-day Henan Province. The Gongliang clan has a history of over 2,600 years and is primarily distributed in areas of Henan Province extending from Minquan and Ningling in the east to Kaifeng and Weishi in the west, to Yanjin and Changyuan in the north, and to Qi and Ju in the south.

Notable Individuals with the Gongliang Surname:

Gongliang Ru: A disciple of Confucius from the Chen State during the Spring and Autumn Period, who was not only a distinguished student of Confucius but also saved his life during one of Confucius’ travels across the states.