The Huangfu Clan#

Clan Name: Huangfu, Pronunciation: huáng pǔ

Distribution of the Huangfu Clan#

• Jingzhao Commandery: This was the direct jurisdiction of the capital Chang’an during the Han Dynasty and was considered one of the “Three Auxiliaries” (the three most important administrative regions). It corresponds to the area from present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, to Huaxian.
• Anding Commandery: Established by Emperor Wu of Han, it roughly corresponds to the Pingliang region in present-day Gansu Province and the western part of Ningxia.

Origin of the Huangfu Clan#

The Huangfu surname has two origins:

1. From the Western Zhou Dynasty: The descendants of Huangfu, a high-ranking military official (Grand Tutor of the Western Zhou), adopted the surname “Huangfu”.
2. From the Zi surname: This origin relates to the nobility of the State of Song during the Spring and Autumn period. The surname was changed from “Huangfu” to “Huangfu” by descendants of the Huangfu family.

Anecdote on the Origin: During the late Western Zhou Dynasty, Duke Dai of Song had a son named Gongzi Chongshi, whose courtesy name was Huangfu. When Duke Wu of Song was in office, Gongzi Chongshi served as the Minister of Works. When the Changdi tribe attacked the State of Song, Huangfu led the troops in defense and successfully repelled them. However, Huangfu and his two sons died in battle. Later, Huangfu’s grandson, Nanyong Chui, adopted his grandfather’s courtesy name as his surname. Huangfu’s sixth-generation descendant, Huangfu Mengzi, had a son named Huangfu Yu. When the State of Qin conquered the State of Song, Huangfu Yu fled to the State of Lu. In the mid-Western Han Dynasty, Huangfu Yu’s direct descendant, Huangfu Luan, moved from Lu to Maoshengling in Shaanxi Province and changed the “fu” character in the surname to “pǔ” (as these two characters were pronounced the same in ancient times), thus establishing the Huangfu surname.

Progenitor of the Clan:
Huangfu Luan is considered the progenitor of the Huangfu clan. In the late Western Zhou Dynasty, Duke Dai of Song’s son, Gongzi Chongshi, adopted his grandfather’s courtesy name as his surname. Since “fu” and “pǔ” were pronounced the same in ancient times, Huangfu Luan changed the surname from “Huangfu” to “Huangfu” while migrating from Lu to Maoshengling (the tomb of Emperor Wu of Han, located in present-day Xingping County, Shaanxi Province).

Migration and Distribution: The Huangfu clan does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. According to the “Tang Shu: Zai Xiang Shi Xi Table,” the Huangfu surname originated from the Zi surname. Gongzi Chongshi, a descendant of Duke Dai of Song, adopted his grandfather’s courtesy name as his surname. During the Han Dynasty, another descendant, Huangfu Luan, changed the “fu” character to “pǔ.” This process is also recorded in the “Tong Zhi: Shi Zu Lue.” These historical documents indicate that the Huangfu clan traces its origin back to the nobility of the State of Song during the Spring and Autumn period, with a history of over 2,500 years. The clan originated in the eastern part of present-day Henan, migrated to Lu, and then to Maoshengling (northeast of present-day Xingping County, Shaanxi Province), where it became a prominent and respected family. The first person to change the surname from “Huangfu” to “Huangfu” was Huangfu Luan during the Han Dynasty; he is also considered the founder of the Maoshengling branch of the Huangfu clan.

Residential Areas: The Huangfu clan was mainly located in the Anding Commandery (around present-day Guyuan County, Gansu Province).

Hall Names:

• Weiyuan Hall: During the Later Han Dynasty, there was a member of the Huangfu clan named Huangfu Gui, who was a skilled military strategist. When the Qiang people invaded Longxi, Huangfu Gui requested to lead the defense forces. Out of jealousy, Liang Ji tried to frame him, and Huangfu Gui nearly died as a result. While at home, he taught students using the “Book of Songs” and the “Book of Rites”; he was widely regarded as a virtuous person. After Liang Ji’s death, the emperor recalled him and appointed him as the governor of Mount Tai. Due to his past achievements in conquering the Western Qiang, he was later appointed as the General Who Crosses the Liao River. During his tenure, the northeastern border regions came to respect and fear his authority. He was promoted to Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and later became the governor of Hongnong, as well as the commander responsible for defending against the Qiang people.

Notable Figures with the Huangfu Surname:

• Huangfu Mi (215–282 AD): Also known as Huangfu Jing in his youth and styled Shian, and referred to as Mr. Xuan Yan, he was a great medical scholar from the Wei and Jin dynasties. Despite coming from a poor family, Huangfu Mi was well-versed in various philosophical and academic theories. He studied Confucianism under Tan Xi and refused multiple imperial summons, preferring to live a life of simplicity. After suffering from a neurological disorder in middle age, he devoted himself to medicine. Based on texts such as the “Su Wen” and the “Zhen Jing,” he compiled the “Jia Yi Jing,” which summarized the achievements of acupuncture and moxibustion prior to the Jin Dynasty. In this work, he clarified the theory of meridians and the locations of acupoints. He also wrote other works, including the “Emperor’s Century” and the “Xuan Yan Chun Qiu.”