The Wei Clan#

Surname: Wei, pronounced as “wèi”.

Distribution of the Wei Clan#

• He Dong Commandery, Shanxi Province.
• Chen Liu Commandery, Henan Province.
• Liao Dong Commandery, Liaoning Province.

Origins of the Wei Clan#

The origin of the “Wei” surname can be traced to two main sources:

1. From the Ji surname: The clan name was derived from the state to which a person belonged. According to “Tong Zhi • Shi Zhu Lue • Yi Guo Wei Shi” and “Guang Yun,” the ninth son of King Wen of Zhou was enfeoffed in Kang and was called Kang Shu. After Duke of Zhou Dan quelled the rebellion led by Wu Geng, he re-enfeoffed Kang Shu to govern seven tribes of the Yin people, establishing the state of Wei with its capital in what is now Qi County, Henan. When the state of Wei was later conquered by the Qin, its people adopted the name of their former state as their surname.
2. Historically, it was also a surname of the Xianbei tribe: According to “Hou Yan Lu,” the Xianbei people of Chang Li (Chang Li, Hebei) had the Wei surname.

Clan Halls (Tang Hao)#

• Chen Liu Tang: Named after the place of origin.
• He Dong Tang: Also known as Pu Ban Tang, Tai Yuan Tang, Bing Zhou Tang, and Ping Yang Tang.
• Liao Dong Tang: Also known as Fu Yu Tang, Xiang Ping Tang, Liao Yang Tang, and Ling Dong Tang.
• You Shun Tang: Further information is needed.
• Guang Da Tang: A branch of the Wei clan from Shanxi.
• Yong Shi Tang: A branch of the Wei clan from Anhui.
• Dun Ben Tang: A branch of the Wei clan from Fei Xi.

Migration and Distribution#

The Wei clan originated from the Ji surname and began in Henan. It not only descended from Kang Shu but also included members of the Xianbei minority who adopted the surname “Wei” during the great ethnic integration during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The Wei clan spread from its birthplace in Henan; a branch moved to He Dong Commandery and became a prominent clan there. Kang Shu, the ninth son of King Wen of Zhou and brother of King Wu of Zhou, was initially enfeoffed in Kang and later moved to the area of Wei, with the capital in the former capital of the Shang Dynasty, Chao Ge. After the fall of Wei to the Qin, its nobles adopted the state name as their surname.

Famous People with the Wei Surname#

• Wei Zi Fu: (Date of birth and death unknown) was the second empress of Emperor Wu of Han. She was originally a singer at the palace of Princess Ping Yang and was promoted to empress after giving birth to Liu Ju, the future Crown Prince. She died in 91 BCE due to her involvement in a witchcraft scandal.
• Wei Qing: A famous general of the Han Dynasty who led cavalry campaigns against the Xiongnu. He was granted the title of “Great General” and held the highest rank among Han officials.
• Wei Hong: A poet of the Eastern Han Dynasty who studied ancient texts and wrote commentary on the “Book of Songs.”
• Wei?d: A scholar of the Western Jin Dynasty who composed several works on ancient rituals and history.

Historical Notes#

• The Wei clan’s territory included He Dong Commandery (established in the Qin Dynasty, located east of the Yellow River in present-day Shanxi Province and around Xia County) and Chen Liu Commandery (established by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, renamed in the Han Dynasty).
• The Wei clan’s prominence in He Dong Commandery is reflected in the use of its name as the clan hall name for this region.

These historical figures and events illustrate the significance and spread of the Wei clan throughout Chinese history.