The Gongxi Family#

Surname: Gongxi, pronounced: gōng xī

Distribution of the Gongxi Surname**#

Dunqiu Commandery: Dunqiu County was established in the early Han Dynasty, and its jurisdiction included the area southwest of present-day Qingfeng, Henan Province.

Origin of the Gongxi Surname**#

The origin of the Gongxi surname is straightforward. It stems from the Ji (姬) surname, specifically from a branch of the Jisun (季孙) clan, a noble family of the State of Lu. According to “Xingshui Xunyuan” (The Search for the Origins of Surnames), the Gongxi surname originated during the Spring and Autumn Period from a descendant of the Jisun clan who adopted the name Gongxi as their surname. The Gongxi clan was also a noble family in the State of Lu during that period, descending from the prestigious Jisun clan, which itself traced its ancestry back to King Wen of Zhou. Among Confucius’ many disciples, several had the surname Gongxi; among them, Gongxi Chi was the most famous and accomplished. The Gongxi clan flourished in Lu and became a prominent family within present-day Shandong Province.

Founder of the Surname: Jisun

Migration and Distribution

The Gongxi surname is an ancient Han Chinese surname, but it does not rank among the top 300 surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province. In the Song Dynasty version of the “Hundred Family Surnames,” it was ranked 449th. The Gongxi surname is not included in the top 100 surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. It originated from the Jisun clan, one of the three most powerful noble families of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period, and is a branch of that clan. The Gongxi clan had a significant presence only during that period, with little historical record of it afterward; only some hereditary branches of the surname have continued to exist. The Gongxi clan reached its zenith in Lu and became a prominent family in present-day Shandong Province. The main descendants of the Gongxi clan are found in the area of Jun County, Henan Province, with roots in the Dunqiu Commandery. To this day, there are still a few members of the Gongxi clan in the Jun County area.

Hall Names

Dunqiu Hall: Named after their ancestral home in Dunqiu, also known as Qingfeng Hall.

Notable People with the Gongxi Surname

• Gongxi Chi: A native of the State of Lu at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. Known for his expertise in sacrificial and guest etiquette among Confucius’ disciples.
• Gongxi Yuru: Also a native of the State of Lu at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. A disciple of Confucius, he was posthumously awarded the title “Chongqiu Bo” during the Tang Dynasty and the title “Linqu Marquis” during the Song Dynasty.