The Jin Clan#

Surname: Jin, pronounced as “jìn”

Regions Where the Jin Clan is Found**#

• Pingyang Commandery: Historically, there were two Pingyang commanderies:

  1. The one corresponding to present-day Linfen City, Shanxi Province. The Pingyang County was established in the early Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE), with its administrative center located in Pingyang (present-day Linfen, Shanxi).
  2. The one corresponding to present-day Zoucheng City, Shandong Province.

• Guo Commandery: Also known as the State of Guo or Guo Prefecture. It was originally a state ruled by the Ji clan of the Zhou Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn Period, there were three separate Guo states:

  • The Eastern Guo state was located northeast of present-day Xingyang, Henan Province and was later conquered by the State of Zheng.
  • The Western Guo state was situated in the vicinity of present-day Baoji, Shaanxi Province and was conquered by the State of Qin.
  • The Northern Guo state was located in the areas around present-day Sanmenxia and Pinglu, Shanxi Province, and was later merged by the State of Jin, after which the Hongnong Commandery was established.

Origins of the Jin Surname**#

• The Jin surname originates from the Ji clan. It originated from the fiefdom of Shuyu, a son of King Wu of Zhou, and is a surname derived from the name of the state. According to the classic text “Wenyun,” the State of Jin was descended from Shuyu, and his descendants adopted “Jin” as their surname.
• The surname can also stem from an official position, such as the official named Jin Shi during the Western Zhou Dynasty.
• Additionally, it may originate from a profession, such as the craftsmen who made weapons during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods; in this case, the surname is derived from the name of the weapons they made.

Ancestor of the Jin Surname:
Shuyu of Tang. According to “Wenyun,” the State of Jin was descended from Shuyu of Tang, and his descendants adopted “Jin” as their surname. As recorded in “Yuanhe Xingzuan,” Shuyu of Tang was granted a fiefdom by King Cheng of Zhou and was known as Shuyu of Tang. After his son Xiefu succeeded him to the throne, he moved the capital to the banks of the Jin River south of Taiyuan and changed the state's name to Jin. This tradition continued for twenty generations, with the descendants adopting the state's name as their surname.

Distribution and Migration
Although the Jin clan is an ancient Han Chinese surname, its population does not rank among the top 300 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province. In the Song Dynasty’s version of the “Hundred Most Common Surnames,” it was ranked 458th. Prominent Jin clans originated from Pingyang and Guo commanderies. The Jin surname has not made it into the top 100 most common surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan.

The Jin clan originated from the Ji clan. In the early Western Zhou Dynasty, the state of Tang, located in present-day Yicheng, Shanxi Province, rebelled against the central government. King Cheng of Zhou sent troops to conquer it and granted the fiefdom to Shuyu, his brother, to manage the remaining affairs. After Xiefu succeeded Shuyu, he moved the capital to the banks of the Jin River and changed the state's name to Jin. The Jin state became one of the powerful states during the Spring and Autumn Period, with Duke Wen of Jin being one of the Five Hegemons. However, the state gradually lost its power during the Warring States Period, and it was eventually divided among the states of Zhao, Wei, and Han. The ruler of Jin was forced to settle in Tunliu (present-day Tunliu County, Shanxi Province), and his descendants adopted the state’s name as their surname.

Clan Halls (Tanghao):

• Pingyang Hall: Established based on the historical significance of the Pingyang region.
• Guo State Hall: Established based on the history of the Guo state, also known as Guo Prefecture Hall, Hongnong Hall, or Lingbao Hall.
• Lianjie Hall: Additional information is needed for this hall.
• Zhenxiao Hall: Additional information is needed for this hall.

Genealogical Phrases:
The genealogical phrases for the Jin clan vary by region. For example, the Jin clan in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan use the phrase:
“Zhi Kang Jin Sheng Yu Shi You Qi De Ting Yun Guang Hua Liang Zhao Rong Shen Fang Wei An Xu Bi Da Heng Xin Tian Xi Fan Shu Peng Ju Hong Chao Bao Mo Pei Lie Cai Yu Xian Zhao Tong Zong Bing Yao Xue Xian Ming Biao Chang Long Jia Rui Tong Yin En Gao.”

For the Jin clan in Anhui’s Quanjiao County, the phrase is:
“Ming Yuan Sheng Qing Song Cui Lu Guang Wu Tong.”

Another branch of the Jin clan uses the phrase:
“Shang Chun Pei Long Xing Dun Ben Qi Xiang.”