The Fifth Surname#

Surname: Fifth (Dì wǔ), pronunciation: dì wǔ

Distribution of the Fifth Surname#

Longxi Commandery: Established in the 28th year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin during the Warring States period (279 BCE), the commandery was named after its location west of the Longshan Mountains. Its administrative center was Didao (present-day Lintao, Gansu). At that time, its jurisdiction included the middle reaches of the Tao River east of Dongxiang County in Gansu Province, the upper reaches of the Wei River west of Wushan, the upper reaches of the Xihan River north of Lixian County, and the eastern part of Tianshan City. This area corresponds to the current Lanzhou City, Lintao County, Gongchang County, and Qinzhou City in Gansu Province.

Dong Commandery: Established in the 5th year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (242 BCE), this commandery was created from former territories of the Wei State and included the areas around Daming Prefecture in Hebei, Dongchang Prefecture in Shandong, and the region west of Changqing County.

Origin of the Fifth Surname#

The Fifth surname is a compound surname in China. In ancient China, there were surnames ranging from the First to the Eighth; the number of people with the Fifth surname was relatively large. Over time, the Fifth surname has often evolved into the Di or Wu surnames.

Ancestor of the Surname:
Tian Wan (also known as Chen Wan or Gui Wan). The people with the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth surnames share the same ancestry as the Tian clan and revere Tian Wan (Chen Wan) as their common ancestor.

Migration and Distribution:
Although the Fifth surname is an ancient Han Chinese surname, it does not rank among the top 300 most common surnames in mainland China. In Taiwan Province, it is ranked 1,059th. The origin of this surname can be traced back to the Longxi and Dong commanderies. The Fifth surname is not among the top 100 most common surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Tian clan in the Guanzhong region branched into two main lineages: the Fifth and the Fa surnames. According to the "Fengsu Tong: Surnames" section, the First, Second, and Third surnames originated from Tian Wan’s descendants who moved to Yuanling. The Fifth surname also descended from the Tian clan. Emperor Gaozu of Han relocated many members of the Tian clan, resulting in the creation of the First through Eighth surnames. One notable member of the Eighth surname was Eighth Jiao, who served as a lecturer for Wang Mang.

Hometowns of the Surname:
The Fifth surname is associated with the Longxi Commandery (established by the Qin State during the Warring States period, encompassing the area east of Dongxiang and Longxi in Gansu Province today). Members of the Fifth surname can be found in various regions across China, including Yangzhou City in Jiangsu Province, Tianjin, Jingyang and Xunyi counties in Shaanxi Province, Binxian County, Gaoling County in Xi'an, Wuzhong City in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Dinghai County in Zhoushan City, Chuzhou City in Anhui Province, and Wenshan District of Taipei City in Taiwan Province, with a total population of about 4,300 people.

Hall Names (Tanghao):

• Longxi Hall: Named after the ancestral hometown of the Fifth surname.
• Dongjun Hall: Also named Jianghu Hall, named after the ancestral hometown of the Fifth surname.

Notable People with the Fifth Surname:
Fifth Zhong: Known by the courtesy name Xingxian, he served as the Marquis of Gaomi and the governor of Yanzhou. He was repeatedly persecuted for criticizing the eunuch Shan Chao and his nephew Shan Kuang. People of that time praised him for his integrity and honesty, considering him the finest example of the Fifth surname.