The Murong Clan#

Surname: Murong, pronounced as mù róng

Regions Where the Murong Clan is Found#

Yanmen Commandery: Established during the Warring States period by King Wuling of Zhao. Continued during the Qin and Han dynasties. This corresponds to the area around present-day Dai County, Shanxi Province.

Origins of the Murong Clan#

• Origin from the Gaoxin Clan: Descendants of Emperor Ku. In ancient times, there was a descendant of the Yellow Emperor named “Feng” who adopted the surname Murong, with the intention of promoting traditional culture away from the Central Plains, admiring the virtues of heaven and earth (the “Two Instruments”) and emulating the appearance of the three celestial bodies (the sun, moon, and stars). Later, in some regions, the Murong surname was simplified to just “Murong.”
• Derived from Temple Names: During the Han dynasty, people adopted surnames based on the names of temples.
• From the Xianbei Tribes: The Murong name originated from one of the main Xianbei tribes, which used the name of its tribe as its surname.
• Imperial Bestowal: During the Xianbei dynasty, Emperor Yuwen Tai established the Western Wei dynasty and mandated that Han generals and officials adopt Xianbei surnames. The Murong surname was among the thirty-three surnames granted at that time. Later, Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, allowed all Han people to revert to their Han surnames, but some still continued to use the Murong surname. Additionally, the Western Xia dynasty, which claimed to be descended from the Xianbei, also granted the Murong surname to meritorious Han individuals.

Ancestor of the Murong Surname

The chanyu (tribal leader) is considered the ancestor of the Murong surname. According to the “Records of the Three Kingdoms: Xianbei Biography,” during the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, the Xianbei people were divided into three groups: central, eastern, and western. The central group was led by Ke Zuique, who resided in the Murong Temple. Research in the “Tongzhi: Clan Profiles” indicates that the Murong clan originated from the descendants of the Gaoxin clan during the Middle Ages. The tribal leader admired the virtues of heaven and earth and emulated the appearance of the sun, moon, and stars, hence adopting the surname Murong. The historical Xianbei people were located between the Xilamulun River and the Taor River in present-day Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This is considered the birthplace of the Murong clan, and therefore, the chanyu is revered as the ancestor of the Murong surname.

Distribution of the Murong Clan

The Murong surname does not rank among the top 100 surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province. However, in the Song dynasty version of the “Hundred Family Surnames,” it was ranked 436th overall and 28th among compound surnames. The Murong name originally referred to a Xianbei tribal name. It is said that a descendant of the ancient tribal leader Gaoxin lived in the northeastern regions. During the Three Kingdoms period, the leader Mo Huba led his people to establish the state of Xianbei. When Mo Huba became chanyu, he adopted the name Murong, reflecting his admiration for the natural world. During the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, the Xianbei were divided into eastern, western, and central regions, with Ke Zuique ruling the central area and residing in the Murong Temple, thus adopting the surname Murong. Mo Huba also liked the step-pouring crown, a popular hat among the Han people in the north, and had one made for himself; this led to the nickname “Bu Yao” (meaning “swaying step”). Due to a similar pronunciation with “Murong,” the name was mistakenly perpetuated. His descendants then adopted the name Murong. During the Western Jin dynasty, the Murong clan established the state of Yan and officially adopted the Murong surname. During the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Eastern Jin dynasty, the Yan state reached its zenith, and the Murong surname became widely prevalent.

Notable People with the Murong Surname

• Murong Wei: styled Yuanzhen (297–348), also known as Wannian, from Jicheng, Changli (northwest of present-day Yixian County, Liaoning Province), was a member of the Xianbei tribe and the third son of Murong Xu. After the death of Murong Xu in 333, Murong Wei succeeded him as the duke of Liaodong and governed the region as the military commander of Pingzhou. In 337, he declared himself king of Yan, founding the Former Yan dynasty. Murong Wei was highly influenced by Han culture, valued Confucianism, and established schools, appointing the children of officials as students.
• Murong Ke: A famous general and minister during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Eastern Jin dynasty, styled Xuangong, from Jicheng, Changli. He was the son of Murong Xu, a wise and brave leader skilled in military strategy. He followed his father into battle from the age of 15, often coming up with innovative tactics and achieving victories.
• Murong Chui: also known as Murong Ba, the fifth son of Murong Wei, founder of the Later Yan dynasty. He ruled from 384 to 396 and adopted the surname Murong. During the Western Jin dynasty, the Murong surname became widely spread.

The Murong clan has produced many notable figures throughout Chinese history.