The Zhongli Surname#

Surname: Zhongli, pronounced as zhōng lí

Distribution of the Zhongli Surname#

• Huaiji Commandery: Established in the 25th year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s reign (the Ji Mao year, 222 BCE) in the former territories of Wu and Yue. The administrative center was located in Wuxian County (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). Its jurisdiction included parts of the Jiangnan region, most of Zhejiang Province, and a portion of southern Anhui.
• Yingchuan Commandery: Founded in the 17th year of King Ying Zheng of Qin’s reign (the Xin Wei year, 230 BCE) after the Qin state conquered the State of Han. The administrative center was in Yangdi (present-day Yuxian, Henan). At that time, its territory covered the area around Xuchang, Henan. During the Eastern Wei period, the capital was moved to Yingyin (later renamed Changshe, still in Xuchang, Henan). In the Sui and Tang dynasties, it was known as Xuchuan Commandery of Xuzhou.
• Jingling Commandery: The Jingling County during the Qin and Han periods was located in the northwest of present-day Qianjiang City, Hubei. Jingling Commandery was established in the 9th year of the Yuan Kang era of the Western Jin Dynasty (299 CE) from the division of Jiangxia Commandery. The administrative center was in Shicheng (present-day Zhongxiang, Hubei). Its territory included areas such as Zhongxiang, Tianmen, Jingshan, Qianshan, and Mianyang.

Origins of the Zhongli Surname#

The Zhongli surname has the following origins:

1. It originates from the Ying surname, stemming from the fiefdom of a descendant of Boyi during the Zhou Dynasty, and is a surname derived from the name of the state.
2. It also originates from the Zi surname, stemming from the fiefdom granted to Gongzi Zhouli, a great-grandson of Duke Huan of Song during the Spring and Autumn period of the Chu State. This form of the surname is derived from the name of the fiefdom.

Founding Ancestors of the Surname:

• Boyi
• Weizi Qi
• Gongzi Zhouli (Zhongli Zhouli)
• Zhongli Jie (Zhong Jie)

Weizi was the half-brother of King Xin of Shang and was initially granted a fief in Wei (near the ruins of Yin), hence the name Weizi. He was the heir to the throne but was killed after King Wu of Zhou overthrew King Zhou of Shang. Afterward, Weizi was enfeoffed in the State of Song and became its founding monarch. Duke Huan of Song, the 19th ruler of Song, had a great-grandson named Bozong, who served as a high official in the State of Jin and was known for his integrity. However, he offended the powerful Qi family and was killed. Bozong’s son, Zhouli, fled to the State of Chu, where he became a high-ranking official and settled in Zhongli. His descendants took the name of their place of residence, Zhongli, thus forming the Zhongli surname (which also gave rise to the single-surname Zhong clan). They all regarded Weizi as the founding ancestor of the Zhongli surname.

Migration and Distribution: The Zhongli surname is an ancient Han Chinese surname. Although it does not rank among the top 300 surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province, the derived Zhong surname ranks 54th on the current list of the most common surnames, with a population of approximately 5.415 million, accounting for about 0.34% of the total national population. The Zhongli surname is not among the top 100 surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. It originates from the ancestor Weizi of the Song state. The compound surname Zhongli and the single surname Zhong share the same ancestry; the compound surname Zhongli originated from people living in a place called Zhongli (in the area of present-day Fengyang, Anhui), while the single surname Zhong originated from Yingchuan (in present-day Henan). According to the "Mingxian Shizu Yanxing Leigao," the Zhong surname is a descendant of Weizi of Song. Bozong, a descendant of Duke Huan of Song, served as an official in the State of Jin and had a son named Zhouli, who served in the State of Chu and took the name Zhongli. Other descendants of Zhongli include those with the compound surname Zhongli and the single surname Zhong.

The Zhongli surname is a typical ancient Han Chinese surname. However, it does not rank among the top 300 surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province. Its derivative, the single surname Zhong, ranks 54th on the list of common surnames, with a population of about 5.415 million, accounting for about 0.34% of the national population. The Zhongli surname originated from the ancestor Weizi of the Song state. The compound surname Zhongli and the single surname Zhong share the same ancestry; the compound surname Zhongli originated from people living in a place called Zhongli (in the area of present-day Fengyang, Anhui), while the single surname Zhong originated from Yingchuan (in present-day Henan). According to the "Mingxian Shizu Yanxing Leigao," the Zhong surname is a descendant of Weizi of Song. Bozong, a descendant of Duke Huan of Song, served as an official in the State of Jin and had a son named Zhouli, who served in the State of Chu and took the name Zhongli. Descendants of Zhongli include those with both the compound and single surnames Zhong and Zhong.

Hall Names (Tanghao):

• Huaiji Hall: Established based on the ancestral homeland of Huaiji.
• Yingchuan Hall: Established based on the ancestral homeland of Yingchuan.
• Jingling Hall: Established based on the ancestral homeland of Jingling; also known as Zhongxiang Hall and Shimen Hall.
• Side Hall: During the Battle of Yingchuan between Chu and Zheng in the Spring and Autumn period, Zhong Yi of Chu was captured by Zheng and presented to Jin. Duke Jing of Jin asked, "Who is the man tied up wearing a Chu hat?" Zhong Yi replied, "He is a captive of Chu." Duke Jing asked, "What is your surname?" Zhong Yi said, "My father was a minister of Chu." Duke Jing ordered his men to untie Zhong Yi and had him play the zither. Zhong Yi played a piece of Chu music. Duke Jing then asked, "What kind of person is King Chu?" Zhong Yi replied, "When King Chu was a prince, he was taught by a tutor and attended to by eunuchs. He played like a child in the morning and slept at night; I do not know anything else about him." Fan Wenzi said to Duke Jing, "This captive of Chu is truly a gentleman. He did not mention his own name but referred to his father, showing loyalty to his roots; he played only Chu music, showing remembrance of his past; he only spoke of King Chu’s childhood, showing impartiality; and he only referred to his father as a minister of Chu, showing respect for his king. With these four virtues, he will surely accomplish his mission well." Duke Jing treated him with the dignity due to a foreign envoy and sent him back to Chu to negotiate peace.

Notable People with the Zhongli Surname:

• Zhongli Mu: A figure from the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. His courtesy name was Zigan; he was a general of the Eastern Wu state and a seventh-generation descendant of Zhongli Yi, the Secretary of the Han court.
• Zhong Yao: His surname was shortened to Zhong. He was a civil official of the Cao Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period (151–230 CE), from Yingchuan Changshe (present-day Changge, Henan). He was a great-grandson of Zhong Hao and the father of Zhong Hu and Zhong Hui.
• Zhong Hui: His surname was shortened to Zhong. He was a general of the Cao Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period (225–264 CE). His courtesy name was Shiji; he was from Yingchuan Changshe (eastern part of present-day Changge, Henan).