Zhang Clan#

Surname: Zhang, pronounced as “zhāng”

Distribution of the Zhang Clan#

• Qinghe Commandery: Established during the Han Dynasty, with its administrative center in Qingyang (now southeast of Qinghe, Hebei Province).
• Fanyang Commandery: Reorganized from Zhuo Commandery in the seventh year of Huangchu during the Wei period of the Three Kingdoms (226 AD), with its center in Zhuoxian (now part of Hebei Province).
• Taiyuan Commandery: Established during the Warring States period, with its center in Jinyang (now southwest of Taiyuan City).
• Jingzhao Commandery: Established during the Han Dynasty, with its center in Chang'an (now northwest of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province).
• Dunhuang Commandery: Separated from Jiuquan Commandery during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, with its center in Dunhuang County (now in Gansu Province).
• Anding Commandery: Established during the Western Han Dynasty, initially with its center in Gaoping (now in Guyuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region); moved to Anding during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (now north of Jingchuan, Gansu Province).
• Xiangyang Commandery: First established as Xiangyang County during the Han Dynasty, and later as Xiangyang Commandery during the Eastern Han Dynasty, with its center in Xiangyang (now Xiangfan, Hebei Province). Xiangyang has served as the administrative center for various administrative units throughout history.
• Luoyang Commandery: Initially a county during the Qin Dynasty, later elevated to a commandery during the Eastern Wei Dynasty. During the Han and Wei periods, its center was on the north bank of the Luo River east of Baimasi in Luoyang City; during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the administrative center was moved eighteen miles west of Hancheng.
• Hedong Commandery: Established during the Qin Dynasty, with its center in Anyi (now northwest of Xia County, Shanxi Province), governing the area east of the Yellow River in that region.
• Shixing Commandery: Separated from Guiyang Commandery during the Wei period of the Three Kingdoms, with its center in Qujiang (now south of Shaoguan, Guangdong Province), governing the areas of present-day Lianjiang, Qujiang, and Shaoguan.
• Fengyi Commandery: Established by Emperor Wu of Han as Zuo Fengyi; renamed Fengyi Commandery during the Wei period of the Three Kingdoms, with its center in Linjin (now in Dali, Shaanxi Province).

Origins of the Zhang Clan#

The Zhang surname has multiple origins:

1. Derived from the “Ji” surname. According to “Tongzhi·Shizú Lüè·Yizì Wéi Shì,” the Zhang family served the Jin Dynasty for generations and later became a prominent clan.
2. Some members changed their surnames. For example, Zhang Liao of the Wei period of the Three Kingdoms changed from the surname Nie to Zhang. Another example is Zhuge Liang of the Shu period of the Three Kingdoms, who granted the Nanyman chieftain Long Youna the surname Zhang.
3. The growth of the Zhang clan was related to the rise and popularity of Taoism during the Han Dynasty. Taoism claims its origins from the Yellow Emperor, and there are many legends about the Yellow Emperor granting the Zhang surname to his followers, such as Zhang Jiao and Zhang Lu.
4. According to “Yuanhe Xing Zuan,” the fifth son of the Yellow Emperor, Qingyang, invented the bow. Zhang Hui, a descendant of the Zhang family, was honored with the surname “Zhang” for his invention of the bow.

Ancestral Figures of the Zhang Clan#

• Zhang Hui: The founder of the Zhang surname, whose life dates back about 5,000 years. During the era of the Yellow Emperor, Hui was exceptionally intelligent and invented the bow, which was a significant invention for hunting. The Yellow Emperor granted him the title “Bow Master” and the surname Zhang.

Migration and Distribution#

The Zhang surname spread across different regions due to historical events:

• After the division of the Jin state among the Zhao, Han, and Wei kingdoms, members of the Zhang clan dispersed among these states.
• The clan also expanded through grants of surnames, such as when Zhuge Liang granted the surname Zhang to Long Youna and when Zhang Liao changed from Nie to Zhang.
• Many non-Han people adopted the Zhang surname, such as those from the Jurchen and Mongol tribes during the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

Clan Characteristics#

• The Zhang clan has a long history and is one of the earliest surnames in China.
• Hunting was a vital means of livelihood in ancient times, and the invention of the bow was highly valued.
• The Zhang clan has a wide distribution, with members in various regions of China and overseas.

Hall Names of the Zhang Clan#

Common hall names include “Qinghe Hall,” “Jinjian Hall,” “Xiaoyou Hall,” “Guanying Hall,” “Yanyi Hall,” “Dunmu Hall,” “Zongyue Hall,” and others, reflecting the clan's heritage and values.

Notable Figures with the Zhang Surname#

• Zhang Yi: A strategist of the Wei state during the Warring States period who persuaded the six states to ally with Qin.
• Zhang Liang: A prominent minister of the Han Dynasty who helped establish the Han dynasty.
• Zhang Daoling: The true founder of Taoism, known for his magical techniques and influence on Taoism.
• Zhang Fei: A general of the Shu Han state during the Three Kingdoms period.
• Zhang Jue: A famous calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty.

The Zhang clan has a rich cultural and historical heritage and a wide distribution across China and around the world.