The Bing Clan#

Surname: Bing, pronounced as “bǐng”

Distribution of the Bing Clan#

According to “Shi Xing Kao Lüe” (A Brief Study of Surnames), the Bing clan originated from the state of Lu. “Jun Wang Bai Jia Xing” (A Catalog of Surnames from Various Regions) states that the Bing clan derives its origin from Pingyang Commandery. The state of Lu was established in the early Western Han period (206 BCE) when the former Xue Commandery of the Qin Dynasty was transformed into Lu. During the Three Kingdoms period (Wei and Jin dynasties), it was renamed Lu Commandery, which corresponds to the area around present-day Qufu and Sishui in Shandong Province. Pingyang Commandery was created in the eighth year of the Zhengshi era of the Wei dynasty (247 CE) by dividing Hedong Commandery; its location is roughly in the southwest of present-day Linfen County, Shanxi Province.

Origins of the Bing Clan#

The origin of the “Bing” surname can be traced to the following:

1. As recorded in “Tong Zhi • Shi Zhu Lüe • Yi Yi Wei Shi” (General Records • Brief Accounts of Clans • Surnames Derived from Places), during the Spring and Autumn period, a high-ranking official of the Jin state named Bing Yu was granted a fief at Bing, and thus adopted that surname.
2. “Bing” can also be written as “Fang,” referring to a town located at the foot of Mount Tai; those who lived there also took that name as their surname. The state of Qi also had a place named Bing, and from there emerged the Bing clan. The “Zuo Zhuan” mentions a high-ranking official of Qi named Bing Yizi, while the “Shi Ji” (Records of the Grand Historian) refers to him as “Bing Yizi,” indicating a connection between the Bing and Bingyi clans. The “Lu Shi” (History of Lu) mentions that a member of the Chu royal family had the surname Bing. “Tong Zhi • Shi Zhu Lüe” also records a person named Bing Kuan from the Han dynasty.

Ancestors of the Bing Clan

The founding ancestors of the Bing clan include Bing Yu, Bing??, Bing Yizi (also written as Bing Yizi), and Li Guang.

Hall Names

• Cao Shang Tang: This hall is named after Bing Yuan of the Later Han dynasty, who valued integrity and virtue above all else. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Bing Yuan led his entire family to live in the mountains of Yuzhou. Kong Rong wanted to recommend him for an official position, but Bing Yuan declined and fled to Liaodong. Many people came to Liaodong out of admiration for his reputation. Later, Bing Yuan became the Chief Clerk of the Five Ministries and chose to live in seclusion, only emerging for official matters.