The Peng Clan#

Clan Name: Peng, Pronunciation: péng

Distribution of the Peng Clan#

• Longxi County, Gansu Province
• Yichun County, Jiangxi Province

Origin of the Peng Clan#

The origin of the Peng clan can be traced to four different sources:

1. From the ? surname: The Peng clan descended from Lu Zhong, the third son of Zhuanxu's great-grandson. Lu Zhong's son, named Peng Keng, was granted the land of Peng (now Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province) and established the state of Dapeng. Peng Keng became known as Pengzu, and his descendants adopted the name of their state as their own clan name.
2. From the ?u surname: One of the eight clans descended from Zhu Rong, the fire official during the reign of Emperor Ku. According to historical records, these eight clans were exterminated by the Zhou dynasty.
3. From the Shang Dynasty: Lao Peng, also known as Shi Zhi, was a shaman and diviner in the Shang dynasty. The character “Peng” is frequently found in oracle bone inscriptions from that period.
4. From other ethnic groups: During the Qing dynasty, people from various ethnic groups such as the Hu, Xiqiang, Nanman, Manchu, Mongol, Hui, Miao, Bai, Yao, Tujia, Kucong, Yi, and Lahu also adopted the Peng surname.

Ancestor of the Clan: Pengzu

The Peng clan is descended from Zhuanxu. In ancient times, Zhuanxu had a great-grandson named Wu Hui, who served as the official in charge of fire management during Emperor Ku's reign. Wu Hui's son, Lu Zhong, married a woman from the Gui Fang tribe. After three years of infertility, Lu Zhong had to perform a risky procedure to conceive three sons. The third son, Peng Keng, was granted the state of Dapeng and became a famous long-lived figure, living for over 800 years. His descendants adopted the name of their state as their clan name in accordance with ancient customs.

Migration and Spread

• At the end of the Shang dynasty, the state of Dapeng fell, and some Peng clan members moved to Nanyang, Henan. One named Peng Zhongshuang served as an official in the state of Chu, marking the beginning of the Peng clan's expansion into Hunan and Hubei.
• During the Qin and Han dynasties, due to wars, Peng clan members migrated to various regions, including present-day Shandong, Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, and Fujian.
• During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Peng clan members further spread, with some settling in Yingzhou (Hebei) and An Ding (Gansu).
• In the Tang dynasty, Peng Xuang moved to Huaiyang, Henan, and established a prominent family there.
• The Ming dynasty saw a large-scale migration of Peng clan members due to wars and official assignments, with branches forming in various provinces.

Famous People with the Peng Surname

• Peng Yu: A scholar of the Song dynasty from Yichun (now Jiangxi), who wrote works on the I Ching and served as an official.
• Peng Chun: A general of the Qing dynasty from the Manchu tribe.
• Peng Dehuai: One of the ten great marshals of the People's Republic of China, a renowned revolutionary, military leader, and statesman who dedicated his life to the liberation of the Chinese people and the construction of socialism.

Clan Halls (Tanghao):

• Changshou Hall and Kezu Hall: Named after Peng Keng, the ancestor of the clan, who was known for his longevity.
• Other Halls: Longxi Hall, Huaiyang Hall, Shugu Hall, Shangxian Hall, Dunben Hall, Guangyu Hall, Zhifeng Hall, Sijing Hall, Yiyuan Hall, Shuxin Hall, Kuiju Hall, Sanzhao Hall, Sanrui Hall, Shangxian Hall, Zhuxia Hall, Mingjing Hall, Xiaomu Hall, Yongmu Hall, Chunfu Hall, Jihou Hall, Bodoshi Hall, Dunlun Hall, and Shenyuan Hall, among others.

The Peng clan is widely distributed across China, with the largest populations in Hunan, Sichuan, and Hubei provinces, accounting for approximately 49% of the total Han Chinese Peng clan population. It ranks 39th among the most common surnames in China, with a population of about 0.49% of the total Han Chinese population.