The Yangshe Clan#

Surname: Yangshe, pronounced as yáng shé

Distribution of the Yangshe Clan#

Hongnong Commandery: Hongnong Commandery was established in the fourth year of the Yuanding era during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty (Wuchen, 113 BCE). Its administrative center was in Hongnong County (present-day Hangu Pass, Lingbao, Henan). At that time, its jurisdiction included areas west of Xiang and Yiyang in Henan Province, as well as the Luo, Yi, and Zhechuan river basins, the upper reaches of the Luoshui and Ducuan rivers in Shaanxi Province, and the region south of Mount Hua.

Jingzhao Commandery: This was the direct jurisdiction of the capital, Chang'an.

Hedong Commandery: In ancient times, there were several Hedong Commanderies:

1. It referred to the entire Shanxi Province.
2. During the early Qin Dynasty (Gengchen, 221 BCE), the commandery was established with its administrative center in Anyi (present-day Xia County, Shanxi). Its jurisdiction covered Xia County, Linfen City, Wanrong County, Yongji City, and Wenxi County in Shanxi Province.
3. During the Tang Dynasty, there was the Hedong Circuit, with the Hedong Jiedushi (military governor) based in Puzhou, and the Jiedushi's office in Taiyuan (present-day Taiyuan, Shanxi).
4. During the Song Dynasty, there was the Hedong Road, with its administrative center in Bingzhou (present-day Taiyuan, Shanxi). Its jurisdiction extended north to the Great Wall and also included the northeastern corner of Shaanxi Province.

Origin of the Yangshe Surname#

The Yangshe surname originates from:

1. Official positions, as recorded in the "Zhengtongzhi · Shizú Lüè" (A Compendium of Surnames from the Zheng Dynasty). During the Spring and Autumn period, there were individuals named Yangshe Zhi, Yangshe?, and Yangshe Chi in the state of Jin. The Yangshe surname is a rare compound surname today and can be found in Shenyang, Liaoning.
2. It derives from the Ji surname, stemming from Ji Tu, a descendant of Duke Wu of Jin. This surname was formed using the name of the fief granted to him.
3. It also originates from the Ji surname, originating from Qi Ying, a high-ranking official of the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. This surname was formed using the name of the fief granted to him.
4. It originates from the Ji surname, stemming from a person named Ji Guo, and was formed in memory of an event.

Ancestor of the Surname

The ancestor of the Yangshe clan is Yangshe Tu. According to the "Yuanhe Xingzuan" (A Compilation of Surnames from the Yuan Dynasty), during the Spring and Autumn period, Bo Qiao, a son of Duke Wu of Jin, had a grandson named Tu. During the reign of Duke Xian of Jin, Tu was granted the fief of Yangshe (in the area around present-day Hongtong and Qin counties, Shanxi). He was known as "Yangshe Dafu" (Lord Yangshe). His descendants adopted the name of the fief as their surname. At the end of the Spring and Autumn period (514 BCE), the Yangshe clan was defeated by other nobles of Jin. Some of their descendants fled abroad and changed their surname to "Yang." Therefore, Yangshe Tu is considered the ancestor of the Yangshe surname.

Migration and Distribution

Although the Yangshe surname is an ancient Han Chinese surname, its population does not rank among the top 300 most common surnames in mainland China. It is not listed in the "Hundred Most Common Surnames" in Taiwan Province and is ranked 473rd in the Song Dynasty version of this list. Several generations of the Yangshe clan held high-ranking positions in the Jin court, with the title of "Dafu" (lord). Another ancient text, "Zuochuan Shili" (Explanations to the Zuo Zhuan), suggests that the Yangshe surname may have originated from a sheep theft incident: A thief stole a sheep and left the sheep's head with a man named Li Guo, who buried it. When the thief was caught, Li Guo claimed he was not involved and that the sheep's head was buried by him. Upon digging up the head, a Yangshe bone was found, clearing Li Guo of suspicion, and he adopted the surname Yangshe.

Residential Areas of the Yangshe Clan

The Yangshe clan has a strong presence in Jingzhao Commandery (the area around the capital, Chang'an, which was one of the "Three Auxiliaries" during the Han Dynasty, corresponding to the area from present-day Xi'an to Hua County, Shaanxi Province) and Hedong Commandery (established during the Qin Dynasty, corresponding to the area east of the Yellow River in present-day Xia County, Shanxi Province). Today, there are still small numbers of Yangshe clan members in Liaoning, Shanxi, and surrounding regions.

Clan Halls

• Jingzhao Hall: Established based on the clan's historical significance in Jingzhao Commandery.
• Hedong Hall: Established based on the clan's historical significance in Hedong Commandery.
• Zhongbi Hall: During the Han Dynasty, a man named Yang Boyong donated tea and soup for three years. After someone drank the tea, he took out a sheng (a unit of weight) of stones and told Yang Boyong that by planting these stones, he could obtain beautiful jade and a beautiful wife. Yang Boyong planted the stones, and indeed jade grew from them. The Yang Boyong family had a beautiful daughter who was not engaged until she demanded a dowry of white jade. Upon learning this, Yang Boyong went to the place where the stones were planted and found five pairs of white jade, which he happily gave to the Xu family. The Xu family accepted the proposal, and they had ten talented sons. Yang Boyong later became the prime minister.

Notable Persons with the Yangshe Surname

• Yangshe?: A virtuous man of the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period, also known as Shuxiang or Shu?. He was the second son of Yangshe Tu. He was widely respected for his wisdom and noble character and was a virtuous minister of Jin. Confucius praised him as "Yizhi" (meaning "remaining true to one's principles").