The Ying Clan#

Surname: Ying, pronounced as “yīng”

Distribution of the Ying Clan**#

• Central to southern Henan Province
• North of the Huai River in Anhui Province
• Xuchang City, Henan Province

Origin of the Ying Clan**#

There are four theories regarding the origin of the Ying surname:

1. The surname originates from the Ji clan, descending from King Wu of Zhou (Ji Fa), and is based on the name of a fiefdom.
2. It originates from an official position; specifically, from a historian named Ying Le during the Western Zhou period, with the surname derived from his official title.
3. It also originates from an official position; this time from a historian named Ying Men during the Western Zhou period, with the surname derived from his official title.
4. The surname may have been adopted by members of other ethnic minorities after Hanization.

The pronunciation of the character “Ying” in this context is “yīng”.

Population of the Ying Clan

Currently, there are approximately 300,000 people with the Ying surname, making it the 247th most common surname in China, accounting for about 0.024% of the national population. Over the past 1,000 years (since the Song Dynasty), the growth rate of the Ying population has shown an upward trend. The province with the largest number of Ying inhabitants is still Zhejiang, accounting for roughly half of the national total. Other significant populations are found in Anhui, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Fujian, and other regions.

Frequency of the Ying Clan

In the Zhejiang and Shanghai areas, as well as most of Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian, and in northern Taiwan, eastern Hubei, and central Yunnan, the Ying surname accounts for more than 0.08% of the local population. In the central regions, this proportion can exceed 0.5%, covering about 6.8% of the country's total area and accommodating approximately 67% of the Ying population.

In other regions, such as most of Taiwan, southern Fujian, most of Guangdong, Hunan, and Hubei, western Jiangxi, northern Anhui, eastern and western Shandong, eastern and western Guangxi, most of Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Chongqing, and eastern Heilongjiang, the proportion of the Ying surname ranges from 0.02% to 0.08% of the local population. These areas cover about 20.9% of the country's total area and account for approximately 27% of the Ying population.

Notable Figures with the Ying Surname

• Ying Shao: Lived around 178 BC, with the courtesy name Zhongyuan (also written as Zhongyuan or Zhongyuan). From Nandun, Runan, he was the son of Ying Feng. His exact birth and death years are unknown; he lived around the time of Emperor Ling of Han. Shao was known for his diligent studies and wide knowledge. He was initially appointed as a “Xiaolian” (a title of honor) during Emperor Ling’s reign. In the sixth year of the Zhongping era (184 AD), he was appointed as the governor of Taishan. In the second year of the Xiaping era (191 AD), he led an army that defeated 300,000 Yellow Turban rebels, bringing peace to the region. The following year, after Emperor Xian moved the capital to Xuchang, he was appointed as a military advisor to Yuan Shao. Shao later died in Ye. Concerned about the loss of historical records and the scarcity of written documentation, he compiled works such as “Han Guan Yi” (Rites and Officials) and “Li Yi Gu Shi” (Stories and Customs), which helped clarify the names of various objects and address common misconceptions of the time. His writings, though not formally classical, were accessible and practical. In total, he authored 136 works, including a collection of interpretations of the “Han Shu” (History of the Han Dynasty), all of which have been passed down through the ages.

• Ying De Lian: A literary figure from the Three Kingdoms period, from Runan, and the son of Ying??. Cao Cao appointed him as an official, and later he served as a literary officer. Cao Pi praised his talent and scholarship, and Ying De Lian was one of the “Seven Scholars of Jian’an.” He authored the collection “Ying De Lian Ji.”