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chénSeptember 28, 2025

陈姓

The Chen clan, China's 5th most common surname, originated from Emperor Shun's descendants and Xianbei tribes. It has major branches across commanderies like Yingchuan and Guangling, is dominant in southern China (e.g., Guangdong, Taiwan), and has notable hall names like Sanke and Dexing.

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The Chen Clan

Clan Name: Chen, Pronunciation: chén

Distribution of the Chen Clan

  • Yingchuan Commandery: Established during the Qin Dynasty. Named after the Ying River, its administrative center was in present-day Yuxian, Henan Province. The founder of this branch of the Chen clan was Chen Zhen, the third son of King Jian of Qi.
  • Guangling Commandery: Established as a kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty and later transformed into a commandery during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Its administrative center was in Guangling (present-day Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province). This branch of the Chen clan descended from Liu Xu, the King of Guangling, a son of Emperor Wu of Han.
  • Henan Commandery: Established by Emperor Gao of Han. Its administrative center was in Luoyang (present-day Luoyang, Henan Province).
  • Wudang Commandery: Established during the Northern Wei Dynasty. Its administrative center was in the northwest of present-day Jun County, Hubei Province. This branch of the clan descended from Chen...
  • Fengyi Commandery: Established by Emperor Wu of Han. Its administrative center was in Linjin (present-day Dali, Shaanxi Province). This branch of the Chen clan descended from Chen Shuxing, the King of Yuanling, a son of Emperor Xuan of Han.
  • Jingzhao Commandery: Established during the Han Dynasty. Its administrative center was in Chang'an (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi Province). This branch of the clan descended from Chen Zhong, a descendant of Chen...
  • Runan Commandery: Administrative center in present-day Shangcai, Henan Province.
  • Xiapi Commandery: Administrative center in present-day Suining, Jiangsu Province.
  • Donghai Commandery: Administrative center in Tancheng, Shandong Province.
  • Xin'an Commandery: Established in the first year of the Taikang era of the Jin Dynasty (208 AD) as Xindu Commandery. Its administrative center was in present-day Chun'an. This region included parts of present-day Zhejiang, Anhui, and Qimen. The boundaries of the commandery changed over different dynasties.
  • Lujiang Commandery: Administrative center in present-day Lujiang, Anhui Province.

Origin of the Chen Clan

The Chen clan is the fifth most common surname in China in terms of population. According to the “National Citizens' Identity Information System” (NCIIS) managed by the household registration authorities, the Chen clan is the fifth largest surname in modern China. Historian Li Dongming of China pointed out in a paper published in the Oriental Magazine in 1977 that the Chen clan is one of the top ten most common surnames among Chinese people worldwide. In Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, the Chen clan is the most prevalent surname, ranking 10th in the list of the “Hundred Most Famous Surnames.”

Origins of the Chen Surname:

  1. The Chen surname originated from the “Gui” surname. After King Wu of Zhou defeated the Shang Dynasty in the 11th century BC, he granted the descendants of Emperor Shun, including Hu Gong Man, the “Gui” surname and the state of Chen (located in present-day Huaiyang County, Henan Province). He also married Hu Gong Man's daughter to serve at the temple of Emperor Shun, and their descendants took the state name as their surname.
  2. Some members of the Xianbei tribe changed their surnames. According to the Book of Wei, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was a family with the surname Houmo Chen. They changed their surname to Chen when they followed Emperor Xiaowen of Wei to the capital of Luoyang.
  3. Ancient kings of Annam (present-day Vietnam) also had the surname Chen.

Hall Names:

  • Sanke Hall: “Ke” means respect, and it also refers to guests. After King Wu of Zhou defeated King Zhou of Shang, he granted the descendants of Shun the state of Chen and those of the Xia Dynasty the state of Qi, and they were called “Sanke” as a sign of special respect for their status as guests of the Zhou Dynasty, not mere subjects.
  • Dexing Hall and Deju Hall: These hall names derive from Chen Shi, a descendant of Emperor Xuan of Chen. He was known for his filial piety and virtue. When he visited the famous scholar Xun Shu and his son, they were both considered virtuous individuals. The term “Dexing” refers to the planet Venus, which symbolizes good fortune, hence the hall names.
  • Other hall names include those based on various commanderies where the Chen clan settled, such as Yingchuan, Donghai, Lujiang, and others.

Migration and Distribution: In the southern regions (Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, and Guangxi), the Chen clan accounts for 10.57% of the population. In the Yangtze River basin (Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan), it ranks fourth with 4.86% of the population. In the northern regions (excluding the southern and Yangtze River basins), it ranks seventh with 2.51% of the population. Provinces with the highest concentrations of the Chen clan include Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, and Zhejiang, where the Chen clan makes up 14.01%, 12.21%, and 10.52% of the provincial population, respectively. In Taiwan, Guangdong, and Zhejiang, it is the most common surname. Guangdong has the largest number of Chen clan members in China, accounting for 14.7% of the national total. The combined populations of Chen clan members in these three provinces account for 3