The Tai Clan#

Clan Name: Tai, pronounced as “tái”

Distribution of the Tai Clan#

Descendants of Zhongshan Ge Xia: During the Tang Dynasty, Zhongcui Gong moved from Linqing, Shandong to Kaifeng. In the Jingkang years of the Song Dynasty, Taimao Gong served as the deputy governor of Chengdu. After the northern defeat, he was unable to return. His three sons settled in different regions: Gui, Xiang, and E. Zhongshan Ge Xia (Zhongtai Gong) was the great-grandson of Yicheng Maogong. After passing the imperial examinations, he held positions such as county magistrate, prefect, and military governor of the Jianghuai region. After the military defeat, he lived in Changshan, Lishui. Today, the Tai clan can be found in Lishui, Jiangsu; Dangtu, Anhui; and Shanghai. The Siyuan Hall in these areas is associated with his descendant, Wanwu Gong, while the Deyuan Hall was established by his adopted son, Shide Gong. The Tai clan in Xinghua and Baoying, Jiangsu, is descended from Zhonghe Gong, the elder brother of Zhongtai Gong. Zhonghe Gong was a wealthy man from Yicheng; after the fall of Xiangyang, his descendants tried to join Zhongtai Gong, but the military governor of the two rivers had defected to the enemy. Zhongtai Gong was trapped and attempted to ride to Lin'an, but was defeated in Lishui. Zhonghe Gong’s descendants were unable to reach him and ended up in Yangzhou.

Historical Origins of the Tai Clan#

1. The Tai clan originated from the Jiang clan, descendants of the founding ancestor of the Zhou tribe. The founder of the Zhou tribe was Houji, whose surname was Ji and given name was Qi, born to Jiang Yan. Jiang Yan had a surname related to the Tai clan and was a descendant of the Yan Emperor. She married Emperor Ku. According to legend, before marrying, Jiang Yan lived in the Tai clan’s部落 (located in present-day Wugong, Shaanxi). One day, while playing in the countryside, she saw a huge footprint in the field. Out of curiosity, she stepped on it, and this experience left her with a deep impression. She later became pregnant and gave birth to a boy. Not having a father, she feared mockery and abandoned the baby in a alley. Surprisingly, the animals around the baby took great care of it. She then threw the baby into a frozen river, but flocks of birds gathered around him, using their feathers to keep him warm. Realizing that the baby would have a bright future, she decided to bring him home and raise him. Since she had initially abandoned him, she named him “Qi.” Qi grew up to be an expert in agriculture. Emperor Yao appointed him as the agricultural official Houji, and under his management, the country experienced consecutive years of bountiful harvests. Emperor Yao was so pleased that he made Qi the ruler of the Tai clan. The Tai clan took its name from Houji.

2. The Tai clan also originated from the Dali Ji clan. According to “Tongzhi. Shizhu Lue,” “The Dali Ji clan changed its name to Tai.” The prominent Tai clan lived in Pinglu (present-day Yidu, Shandong).

Hall Names

• Yi Qin Hall: The name “Yi Qin” means “protecting like wings.” During the Ming Dynasty, Taimao Zhi showed extreme filial piety towards his mother. When his mother was afraid of thunder, he would shield her with his body, just like wings protecting an aircraft. After her death, he would use a large umbrella to cover her grave whenever there was thunder.

• Si Yuan Hall: “Si Yuan” signifies the inability to return to their hometown in Linqing or to pay respects to their parents in Yicheng. Therefore, the ancestral hall faces northwest.

Historical Notables of the Tai Clan

• Tai Qing: A renowned official of the Ming Dynasty.
• Tai Ding: A famous official of the Song Dynasty.
• Tai Maozhi: A famous filial son of the Ming Dynasty from Cili. His mother was afraid of thunder, so he would protect her from the sound with his body during thunderstorms. After her death, he would visit her grave during thunderstorms and only return home after the storm had passed. He is one of the “Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars.”
• Zhongtai Gong of the Tai Clan: Military governor of the Jianghuai region during the Song Dynasty. After being defeated in Changshan, Lishui, he was severely injured and saved by a scholar from Gaochun Lishan Academy. After recovering, he attempted to join Wen Tianxiang in the resistance against the Yuan dynasty but was unsuccessful.
• Tai Renwu Gong: A descendant of Zhongtai Gong and a general of Zhu Yuanzhang. He conquered Quzhou and Jiujiang and was appointed as the defender of the imperial mausoleum and military governor of Longzhong.
• Tai Gezhi: A master of ink production from the Ming Dynasty from Xiuning, Anhui. He founded the Xiuning school of ink production and created a series of ink sets, including “Wen Wan,” “Shi Bao,” and “Pan Chi.”