The Yan Clan#

Clan Name: Yan, pronounced as “yàn”

Distribution of the Yan Clan#

Qi County: During the early Western Han Dynasty, Linzi was renamed Qi County, with its administrative center located in Dongpingling. This corresponds to the area around present-day Linzi City in Shandong Province.

Origins of the Yan Clan#

The Yan surname has three possible origins:

1. From the Jiang Clan: During the Spring and Autumn Period, a high-ranking official of the State of Qi named Yan Ruo was granted a fief in Yan (now Yan City, northwest of Qihe County, Shandong Province), and thus adopted the Yan surname. His descendants continued to use this surname, forming the Yan lineage.
2. From the Lu Zhong Clan: This lineage traces back to Lu Zhongzi Yan An. According to legend, Yan An was the fifth son of the ancient emperor Zhuanxu. His descendants adopted the Yan surname and, along with the Gao, Guo, and Bao clans, became one of the four prominent families in the State of Qi, serving as officials for generations.
3. From the ancient times of Emperor Yao: Yan Long was a minister during Yao’s reign and is considered the progenitor of the Yan clan. He is said to have been the first person in history to bear the Yan surname.

Progenitor of the Clan The progenitor of the Yan clan is Yan An. The oldest Chinese historical record, “Shiben,” states, “The Yan clan descended from Lu Zhongzi Yan An.” Additionally, “Xing Shu Kao Lue” mentions, “Yan An, the fifth son of Lu Zhong, had a descendant named Yan Long, who, along with the Gao, Guo, and Bao clans, became one of the prominent families in the State of Qi.”

Migration and Distribution The Yan surname does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. It originates from the Jiang clan. Emperor Huangdi was a famous tribal leader who worshipped the dragon totem. One of Huangdi’s descendants, Zhuanxu, had a grandson named Yan An, who became the progenitor of the Yan clan. During the Spring and Autumn Period, a high-ranking official of the State of Qi was granted a fief in Yan, and his descendants adopted the name of the fief as their surname. The Yan clan flourished in Qi County (present-day Linzi, Shandong Province) and became one of the four noble families of the state.

The Yan clan has a history of thousands of years. Their progenitor, Yan An, was the fifth son of Lu Zhong, who was a descendant of Zhu Rong. This ancient clan thrived during the Spring and Autumn Period and became one of the four noble families of the State of Qi, mainly spreading within the territory of present-day Shandong Province. According to “Yuanhe Xing Zuan,” the Yan clan’s lineage is recorded as follows: “Yanzi’s name was Ruo; he was from the Qi royal family, and his father was named Rong. During the Han Dynasty, there was a military commander named Yan Jiang.” The Yan clan’s prominence is evident in their historical records and their residence in Qi County (Linzi, Shandong Province).

Hall Names Common hall names for the Yan clan include “Lianjian Hall” and “Jiu Jing Hall.”

Notable Figures

• Yan Ying: A chancellor of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period who lived a life of frugality and integrity. Confucius highly admired his character.

Couplets for the Yan Clan Ancestral Hall

• Couplets for the Yan Clan Ancestral Hall (four-character):
  • “Descended from Qi County; the clan traces back to Yan Long.” (Refer to the sections on the origins and historical significance of the Yan clan.)
  • “A famous scholar of Linchuan; a virtuous minister of Qi.” (Refer to the historical figures from the Yan clan.)
  • “Yanzi’s achievements through the ages; the wisdom of the chess teachings shines through the millennia.” (Refer to Yan Ying’s contributions to chess and his integrity.)

These couplets highlight the historical significance and cultural contributions of the Yan clan.