The Cheng Surname#

Surname: Cheng, pronounced as “chéng”

Regions where the Cheng surname is found**#

Lingbao County, Henan Province; Beilai County, Hebei Province

Origins of the Cheng surname**#

The origin of the “Cheng” surname can be traced back to several different lineages:

1. From the Ji surname: This lineage descending from King Wen of Zhou, Ji Chang, originated in present-day Ningyang, Shandong. In the early Western Zhou period, King Wu of Zhou granted his younger brother, Ji Wu (the fifth son of King Wen), the fief of J (located northeast of present-day Ningyang, Shandong), establishing the state of J. His descendants adopted the name of the state as their surname, later simplifying it to “Cheng.”
2. Also from the Ji surname: This lineage originated in the area north of Pucheng, west of present-day Fan County, Henan. King Wu of Zhou granted another member of the royal family, Ji Dai, the fief of J. Ji Dai established the state of J in that area, and his descendants also adopted the state name as their surname, which was later changed to “Cheng.”
3. From the Mi surname: The progenitor of this lineage was Cheng Hu. During the Spring and Autumn period, a prince of the Chu state named Cheng Hu had a grandson who adopted his grandfather’s courtesy name as his surname.
4. According to the “Beijing Records,” ancient Xiongnu tribes also included people with the Cheng surname.
5. From Manchu surnames that were Sinicized: Some Manchu surnames, such as the Dong'e clan, were changed to the Cheng surname.

Notable people with the Cheng surname**#

• Cheng Gong Sui: A literary figure of the Western Jin dynasty, well-versed in music and prose, who authored the “Cheng Zi An Ji” collection.
• Cheng Xuan Ying: A prominent Taoist scholar of the Tang dynasty, also known as “Western China Master.” He provided annotations for the “Zhuangzi” (also known as “Nanhua Zhenjing Zhu Shu”) and wrote the “Tao Dao Jing Yi Shu.”