The Puyang Surname#

Surname: Puyang, pronounced as pú yáng

Distribution of the Puyang Surname#

• Boling County: During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Boling was located to the south of present-day Lixian County, Hebei Province. Later, Boling County was re-established, with its administrative center in this area. At the end of the Jian'an era, Boling County was reorganized, and during the Cao Wei period, it was renamed Bolu County. The Western Jin Dynasty established the state of Boling, with its capital in Anping (now part of Hebei Province). The Northern Wei Dynasty continued to use the name Boling County. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, there was also a Boling County in Dingzhou, which was not in the same location as the Boling area from the Jin Dynasty (the former location was in the territories of Yingzhou and Shenzhou).
• Pingling County: Established during the Han Dynasty, it is located in the area east of present-day Wenshui County, Shanxi Province.
• Guangping County: Established in the sixth year of Emperor Jing of Han's Zhongyuan era (149 BC) by splitting from Handan County. Its administrative center was in Guangping (now southeast of Jize, Hebei Province).

Origin of the Puyang Surname#

The Puyang surname has a pure origin. One theory suggests it stems from the Ji clan, descendants of Zhuanxu, who adopted the name of a place as their surname. In ancient times, there was a river called the Pushui River, and a fertile area on its southern bank was named Puyang, which is located in present-day Puyang City, Henan Province. This place was also known as Diqiu in ancient times. Zhuanxu, a grandson of the Yellow Emperor, once established his tribal capital here; during the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Cheng of Wei also made Puyang his capital, making it a cultural hub. Some descendants of Zhuanxu lived on the southern bank of the Pushui River and later adopted the name of the place as their surname.

Migration and Distribution

The Puyang surname does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. Puyang was originally a place name; there was a river called the Pushui River, and the southern bank of this river was traditionally referred to as Puyang (the southern bank of a river was considered the "yang" side in ancient times), which corresponds to present-day Puyang County, Henan Province. It is believed that Zhuanxu, a legendary descendant of the Yellow Emperor, once lived here, and the local people adopted the place name as their surname. During the Spring and Autumn period, a minister from the State of Wei lived north of the Pushui River; another theory suggests his fief was south of the river, and his descendants also took Puyang as their surname. According to historical records, the ancestors of the Puyang clan lived in Chanzhou and later adopted the name of the place as their surname, with their ancestral home being Guangping. The Shìxìng Kǎolüè (A Comprehensive Study of Surnames) mentions that Niu Shu, the magistrate of Waichuang during the Later Han Dynasty, served as the chief clerk of Puyang. The ancient Chanzhou was located to the south of present-day Puyang City, Henan Province. Puyang is a place with a long history, having been known for over 2000 years since the Warring States period, located in the southern part of present-day Henan Province, northwest of the Yellow River. The tomb of Zhuanxu is considered one of China's famous historical sites. Descendants of Zhuanxu lived in this area and adopted the place name as their surname, with prominent families residing in Boling County (present-day Puyang City, Henan Province) and Pingling County (the area east of Wenshui County, Shanxi Province).

Famous People with the Puyang Surname#

• Puyang Xing: A civil official of the State of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Known for his talent from a young age, he was sent to Shu during the reign of Sun Quan and later served as the governor of Kuaiji. He was a close friend of Sun Quan's sixth son, Sun Xiu, who became the emperor and appointed Puyang Xing as prime minister and granted him the title of Marquis of Waichuang. After Sun Xiu's death, Puyang Xing was advised by someone to support Cheng Hou Hao for the throne. He was later accused by that person, exiled to Guangzhou, and his entire family was exterminated.
• Puyang Cheng: A military general of the Ming Dynasty, known for his determination and achievements in battle. The court granted him the hereditary title of Hundred Households of Jinshan Guard and the rank of Wude General.