Kuang Surname#

The surname Kuang is pronounced as kuàng.

Distribution of the Kuang Surname#

• Jiujiang Commandery: During the Qin Dynasty, Jiujiang belonged to Jiujiang Commandery (present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi). In the Han Dynasty, it was divided into the counties of Chaisang and Xunyang.
• Runan Commandery: Established in the fourth year of Emperor Gaozu of the Western Han Dynasty (203 BCE), with its administrative center in Shangcai (present-day Shangcai, Henan). Its jurisdiction included the area between the Ying River and Huai River in Henan, to the east of the Jingguang Railway, and to the west of the Ci River and Xifei River in Anhui, as well as the Yancheng, Shangcai, and Pingyu counties. The administrative center was still in Shangcai.
• Jiang Commandery: In the Qin Dynasty, it was part of Jiujiang Commandery. During the Chu-Han conflict, a portion was separated to form Lujiang Commandery. In the Han Dynasty, it was called Shu. During the Sui Dynasty (581–600 CE), Lujiang County was established with its center in Shu (present-day Lujiang, Anhui).

Origin of the Kuang Surname#

The surname Kuang is homophonic with other surnames such as Kuang, Kuang, and Kang, but they are different in character and meaning. Historical records show that the character “Kuang” (with three water radicals on the left) is a variant form of the original character. People with the surname Kuang have lived in China for a long time. Although the writing of the surname differs slightly, their origins are connected, indicating a common ancestry. The Kuang surname originated from the Yao family, stemming from the Zhou Dynasty when a descendant of Shun (the eighth-generation descendant of the Yellow Emperor), Yu Gonglie, was granted the fief of Kuang (in present-day Shandong Province). His descendants adopted this place name as their surname.

Ancestral Founder of the Surname Kuang:
Yu Gonglie.

Migration and Distribution:
The Kuang surname is an ancient Han Chinese surname. Although it does not rank among the top 300 most common surnames in mainland China, it ranks 1,043rd in Taiwan Province. Prominent branches of the Kuang family come from Jiujiang Commandery, Runan Commandery, and Lujiang Commandery. According to the “Ba Shu Kuang Clan Genealogy,” the Yu family adopted the surname Kuang after Yu Gonglie. This lineage has continued for over 2,000 years, with descendants spread throughout China and even overseas. The clan has thrived and spread to various regions.

Hall Names (Tanghao):

• Gaoan Hall: Established based on the ancestral home in Gaoan.
• Enrong Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Xinsao, Hunan ( descended from Yu Gonglie).
• Qinmu Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Datang, Shangyi, Jiangxi.
• Zhensheng Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Shangyi, Jiangxi.
• Erwu Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Xiaogan, Hubei.
• Qingyitang: Used by the Kuang family in Wuhan, Hubei.
• Longwang Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Bashu, Chongqing.

Notable People with the Surname Kuang:

• Kuang Shuqi: Lived around 1555 CE, a scholar from Gaoan, Jiangxi. He served as an imperial inspector of education in Guizhou, a member of the Hanlin Academy, and wrote several influential works on ancient texts and artifacts.
• Kuang Xianglin: A scholar and philologist who wrote books on ancient literature and phonetics.
• Kuang Rong: A poet and scholar from the late Qing Dynasty who lived in various regions of China.

Population Distribution#

The largest concentration of Kuang descendants is in Gaoan, with approximately 14,000 people, mainly in six towns: Longtan, Heling, Lanfang, Hui Bu, Shinao, and Yunyang. Other populations are found in Shanggao County (around 12,000 people). The surname Kuang is not found in Qinghai, Fujian, Tibet, and Ningxia.

Hall Names (Tanghao) by Region:#

• Gaoan Hall: Originated in Gaoan.
• Enrong Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Xinsao, Hunan.
• Qinmu Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Datang, Shangyi, Jiangxi.
• Zhensheng Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Shangyi, Jiangxi.
• Erwu Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Xiaogan, Hubei.
• Qingyitang: Used by the Kuang family in Wuhan, Hubei.
• Longwang Hall: Used by the Kuang family in Bashu, Chongqing.