The Gan Clan#

Surname: Gan, pronounced as “gān”.

Distribution of the Gan Clan#

The Gan Clan is primarily found in Zhengzhou and Xuchang areas of Henan Province.

Origins of the Gan Clan#

There are several theories regarding the origins of the Gan Clan:

1. Some trace its roots back to the Zi surname. During the Spring and Autumn period, a high-ranking official from the State of Song named Gan adopted the name of his royal father as his own surname.
2. Another theory suggests that the clan name originated from a place. During the Warring States period, there was a settlement called Gan Sui (located within the present-day territory of Wuxian County, Jiangsu Province), and the people living there adopted the name “Gan” as their surname.
3. According to the “Wei Shu·Guan Shi Zhi” (Book of Wei·Records of Official Surnames), during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Xianbei tribe of the Northern Wei Dynasty changed their surname from Gan to the Han surname Gan.

The origins of the Gan Clan further explained:#

The Yellow Emperor’s alliance included the Han tribe. Han Ai served as the Yellow Emperor’s charioteer and is considered the progenitor of the Han clan. The characters for “Han” and “Gan” were anciently interchangeable, and Han Ai was also known as “Gan Lei.” The Han and Yellow Emperor’s tribes intermarried; Han Ai married a daughter of the Yellow Emperor named Qingyang, and they had a son named Shaogao. During the Xia Dynasty, Han Zhuo was expelled by the Bo Ming clan and sought refuge with the Dongyi tribe, where he became the prime minister under Hou Yi. However, Han Zhuo was deceitful, deceived his people, and took advantage of Hou Yi’s lack of vigilance to kill him and seize power. He then enfeoffed his son Jiao in Guo (present-day Yexian County, Shandong Province) and another son in Ge. When the Xia Dynasty was revived, Shaokang defeated Jiao in Guo, and Shaokang’s son Houchu later defeated the people of Ge. The Han people split into two tribes: Gan and Ge. The word “Gan” (meaning shield) reflects the bravery of the Han tribe and their expertise in manufacturing shields.

After the Han tribe was defeated by the Xia Dynasty, they migrated south to Xuzhou and then to Jiangxi. Therefore, the Gan clan’s ancestral lands are associated with Yingchuan and Xunyang commanderies. In Xuzhou, there is a mountain called Hanshan, and in Jiangxi, there is the Ganjiang River. During the Shang Dynasty, the state of Gan was a vassal of the Shang Dynasty. The people of Gan were known for their skill in making shields and constructing buildings using this technology. In the middle of the Zhou Dynasty, the state of Gan moved south to Linhuai and became known for producing exquisite swords, which were later called “Mo Ye.”

After the fall of the Xia Dynasty, the Han people migrated further south. By the end of the Shang Dynasty, they had settled in Xuzhou and Jiangxi. The Gan clan’s ancestral lands also included Yingchuan and Xunyang commanderies. In Xuzhou, there is Hanshan; in Jiangxi, there is the Ganjiang River. During the Shang Dynasty, Gan was a vassal state. The people of Gan were skilled in making shields and building structures using these shields as a symbol of their strength. In the middle of the Zhou Dynasty, the state of Gan moved south to Linhuai, where they produced famous swords.

After the Han tribe was defeated by the Xia Dynasty, they migrated south to Xuzhou and then to Jiangxi. The Gan clan’s ancestral lands included Yingchuan and Xunyang commanderies. In Xuzhou, there is Hanshan; in Jiangxi, there is the Ganjiang River. During the Shang Dynasty, Gan was a vassal state. The people of Gan were known for their skill in making shields and constructing buildings using these shields as a symbol of their strength. In the middle of the Zhou Dynasty, the state of Gan moved south to Linhuai, where they produced famous swords.

Notable individuals with the Gan surname:#

• Gan Bao: A native of Xinchai during the Jin Dynasty. He was a renowned historian with extensive knowledge and a deep understanding of the theories of yin-yang, the five elements, and divination. During the reign of Emperor Yuan, he was appointed as a court historian and participated in compiling the official history of the Jin Dynasty. His work “Jin Ji” (Records of the Jin Dynasty) is highly regarded for its clarity and literary quality. His other works include “Sou Shen Ji” (Records of Marvelous Events) and several other historical texts.