The Jiang Clan#

Surname: Jiang, pronounced as jiǎng

Distribution of the Jiang Clan#

Donglai Commandery: Donglai Commandery was established during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of the Western Han Dynasty, with its administrative center in Yexian (present-day Laizhou City, Shandong Province). During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the capital was moved to Huangxian (east of present-day Longkou City, Shandong Province). It was later transformed into a kingdom and during the Tang Dynasty, it was renamed Laizhou.
Le'an Commandery: In the tenth year of the Yongyuan era of the Eastern Han Dynasty (96 AD), it was reorganized as Qiancheng Commandery and became a kingdom, with its administrative center in Linji (northwest of Gaoyuan Town, present-day Qing County, Shandong Province). This area corresponds to the present-day regions of Boxing, Gaoqing, Huantai, Guangrao, and Shouguang in Shandong Province. During the Wei Dynasty of the Three Kingdoms period, it was again reorganized as a commandery, with its administrative center moved to Gaoyuan (southwest of present-day Boxing, Shandong Province).

Origin of the Jiang Clan#

The Jiang surname has a relatively pure origin dating back to the Han Dynasty. There are two main theories:

1. The Jiang surname originated from the Ji family. The third son of Duke Zhou, Ji Dan, was named Boling, and the clan name was derived from the name of the state he ruled over. According to historical records such as the Zuo Zhuan, Tang Shu·Zai Xiang Shi Xi Bai, and Yuan He Xing Zuan, in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, Boling was granted the state of Jiang, which was a small realm under the Zhou Dynasty. After the state of Jiang was conquered by the state of Chu, Boling's descendants adopted the name of their former state as their clan name. The Yuan He Xing Zuan states: “Duke Zhou's third son, Boling, was granted the state of Jiang, and his descendants took this as their surname; the state was located in Qisixian.” Qisixian got its name from Duke Qisixi, and its capital was located 13 kilometers southeast of present-day Huaibin City, Henan Province, near the Dead River. This area belonged to Ruan County during the Spring and Autumn period and later to Yiyang Commandery during the Wei and Jin dynasties. Therefore, the ancestral roots of the Jiang clan can be traced to present-day Huaibin, Henan Province.
2. The Jiang surname also exists among members of other ethnic minorities, such as the Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, Lahu, Baoan, Blang, Miao, Yao, Dai, Tujia, Zhuang, Qiang, and Kucun ethnic groups.

Founder of the Clan:
Jiang Boling is considered the founder of the Jiang clan. According to the Yuan He Xing Zuan, the Jiang surname originated from the Ji family, specifically from Boling, the third son of Duke Zhou. After Duke Wu of Zhou overthrew the corrupt King Zhou of Shang, he established the Zhou Dynasty. Due to Duke Wu's young age, Duke Zhou acted as regent. Boling helped Duke Wu suppress rebellions led by King Zhou's son, Wugeng, and established a clan system and various administrative regulations. He granted his third son, Boling, the state of Jiang (located in present-day Jiangji, northeast of Gushi, Henan Province, or alternatively, west of present-day Guangshan County, Henan Province). After the state of Jiang was conquered by the state of Chu in 617 BC, Boling's descendants adopted the name of the state as their surname.

Migration and Distribution:
Henan was the initial birthplace of the Jiang clan. After the conquest of Jiang by the state of Chu, some members of the clan remained there, while others migrated elsewhere. During the Qin and Han dynasties, some Jiang people moved west to Shaanxi and east to Shandong. The Jiang clan flourished particularly in Boxing and Shouguang, Shandong, which is why there is a tradition of using “Le'an” as a clan nickname for this branch of the clan. The Jiang clan migrated south earlier than most other clans, starting during the Han Dynasty. During the Jianwu era of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jiang Heng was slandered, and his nine sons fled to different locations. After Emperor Guangwu realized his mistake, he granted them titles of nobility: Gonghua Marquis Ying, Kuaiji Marquis Zheng, Lin Su Marquis Ze, Lin Hu Marquis Yao, Pu Ting Marquis Xun, Lin Jiang (present-day Zhong County, Chongqing) Marquis Chuan, Jiu Jiang (present-day Jiangxi Province) Marquis Ren, Yunyang (present-day Chunhua, Shaanxi Province) Marquis Mo, and Han Ting (present-day Yixing, Jiangsu Province) Marquis Cheng. As a result, many descendants of Jiang Heng settled in southern China, including Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan provinces, becoming the founding ancestors of those communities. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, a branch of the clan migrated to Donglai Commandery in Shandong. During the Three Kingdoms period, Jiang Ji of the state of Cao Wei was a descendant of Jiang Heng. Another branch, led by Jiang Xiu (a descendant of the famous Han official Jiang Yi from the Western Han Dynasty), migrated to Xian County in present-day Yixing, Jiangsu Province. Some descendants of Jiang Xiu later moved to Fenghua, Zhejiang. It is confirmed that all Chinese people with the Jiang surname trace their ancestry back to the same family.

The Jiang clan has a long and prestigious history, with many notable individuals throughout Chinese history.