The Song Family#

Surname: Song, pronounced as sōng

Distribution of the Song Family#

• Dongguan Commandery: During the Western Han Dynasty, there was a county named Dongguan, with its administrative center located in present-day Yishui, Shandong Province. The administrative system of Dongguan in present-day Guangdong Province was established during the Tang Dynasty. The term "Dongguan" used later refers to Dongguan along the coast of Guangdong.
• Taishan Commandery: Taishan Commandery was established in the seventh year of Emperor Gaozu of the Western Han Dynasty (200 BCE). Its jurisdiction covered the area around present-day Taian County, Shandong Province. During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty (1723–1735 CE), it was reorganized as Taian Prefecture, with counties such as Dongping and Feicheng under its jurisdiction.

Origin of the Song Surname#

The origin of the Song surname can be traced to three main sources:

1. The story of Qin Shi Huang and the pine trees: The Song surname may have arisen from the legend of Qin Shi Huang, the founder of the Qin Dynasty, who unified China. According to historical records, after conquering the six states, Qin Shi Huang led a grand procession to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to the gods. During the ceremony, a torrential rain suddenly began, and there was no shelter on the mountain. Fortunately, there were five large pine trees with lush foliage that formed a natural canopy. Qin Shi Huang took refuge under these trees. He was so pleased that he honored the trees and bestowed upon them the title of "Five Great Doctors Pine" (Wudaifu Song). Some of the officials who accompanied him on the mountain, having not yet received any titles from the emperor, adopted the "Song" surname as a result. This tradition has been passed down through generations. The prominent branch of the Song family resides in Dongguan Commandery (present-day Ju County, Shandong Province).
2. Conversions of Manchu surnames during the Qing Dynasty: After the Qing troops entered China, some Manchu people adopted the Han surname Song, such as Song Yun, a Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall who was originally from the Mongol Zhenglan Banner and of the Marat clan.
3. Changes from other surnames to Song: Sometimes, for practical reasons, people changed their surnames from others to Song.

Ancestor of the Song Surname: A descendant of Gao Tao, grandson of Zhuan Xu (a descendant of the Yellow Emperor).

Hall Names:

• Dongguan Hall: Named after the Dongguan Commandery where the family originated.
• Taishan Hall: Named in honor of Mount Tai, the source of the Song surname.

Migration and Distribution:
The Song family is an ancient surname with multiple origins and comprising people from various ethnic groups. Its population does not rank among the top 300 surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province. However, it was listed as the 216th most prominent surname in the Song Dynasty version of the "Hundred Surnames" (Baijiaxing).