The Yang Clan#

Last name: Yang, pronounced as “yáng”.

Distribution of the Yang Clan#

There are three recognized places of origin for the Yang clan: Heshang, Mount Tai (southeast of present-day Tai'an, Shandong), and Jingzhao (east of present-day Chang’an, Shaanxi). Heshang refers to the Shanxi region in the Yellow River basin, which is considered the birthplace of the Yang clan; therefore, many genealogy books list this as the primary place of origin for the Yang clan. For example, the third volume of “Youxue Ge” (A Song for Early Learning) includes the entry “Heshang Yang”. Mount Tai is the second place of origin, where the Yang clan has lived for generations since the Han dynasty, for a period of over a thousand years, making it the most significant place of origin for the clan. The Tang dynasty documents “Xinji Tianxia Xingwang Shizu Pu” (New Compilation of Genealogies from Around the World) and “Xingshi Lu” (Record of Surnames) both prominently mention the Yang clan from Mount Tai. Local records of Mount Tai also state that the Yang clan flourished during the Jin dynasty, with many members holding high-ranking titles such as dukes and marquises.

Origins of the Yang Clan#

There are four theories regarding the origin of the Yang clan:

1. The clan descended from officials with the title of “Yang Ren” during the Zhou dynasty; their descendants adopted this title as their surname.
2. They originated from the Qi family, which was originally the Yangshe family. During the Spring and Autumn period, a descendant of Qi Ying, a high-ranking official of the Jin state, was granted the fief of Yangshe (in the area of present-day Hongtong and Bixian, Shanxi). Over time, they changed their surname to Yangshe.
3. They stemmed from the Ji family. During the Spring and Autumn period, a grandson of Prince Boqiao of Jin Jinghou was granted the title of Yangshe official. His descendants adopted the surname Yangshe.
4. There was also a branch of the Yang clan in Lingling in the south, which changed their surname from another existing one.

Clan Hall Names#

Some known clan hall names include “Xianshan Hall”, “Songxia Hall”, “Yizhi Hall”, “Zhongai Hall”, and “Zuiyuan Hall”:

• Xianshan Hall: Xianshan in Xiangyang was a place where Yang Hu held great influence; therefore, many descendants of the Yang clan adopted this name for their hall. As stated in Yang MuZhi’s “Continued Revision of the Yang Clan Genealogy of Xianshan Hall in Wujin, Changzhou”, Yang Hu governed Xiangyang with kindness and respect, earning the heartfelt loyalty of his people. After his death, a monument and shrine were built in his honor on Xianshan, and this hall was named after him.
• Songxia Hall: This name originates from a legend about a man named Yang Bo Yong during the Han dynasty. He gave tea to the people for three years; one person who drank the tea took out a sheng (a unit of weight) of stones from his bosom and told Yang Bo Yong that planting these stones would bring him beautiful jade and a beautiful wife. Yang Bo Yong buried the stones, and indeed, white jade grew from them. He used the jade to marry the daughter of a nearby family named Xu. They had ten talented sons, and Yang Bo Yong eventually became a prime minister.
• Yizhi Hall: This name reflects the clan’s emphasis on upholding integrity and righteousness, as Confucius praised Yang She Shuxiang as a person of ancient integrity.
• Zhongai Hall: It reflects the desire to preserve the honest and righteous traditions of the ancestors.
• Zuiyuan Hall: This name symbolizes the commemoration of the distinguished ancestors of the Yang clan.
• Xingyang Hall: According to Wang Quangen’s “Cultural Analysis of Chinese Surnames”, the Yang clan also has this hall name.

These hall names reflect the various aspects of the Yang clan’s history and culture.