The Yong Clan#

Clan Name: Yong, pronounced as “yōng”

Distribution of the Yong Clan**#

• Jingzhao Commandery: Established in the first year of the Taichu era under Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Jingzhao Commandery governed twelve counties. During the Three Kingdoms period, it was under the control of the Wei state, with its administrative center in Chang’an (present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi Province). This area is roughly located north of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi, east of Xi’an, and south of the Wei River.
• Pingyuan Commandery: Founded in the early Western Han Dynasty, it corresponded to the region around Pingyuan County in the northwest of present-day Shandong Province.

Origin of the Yong Clan**#

The origin of the “Yong” surname can be traced to two possibilities:

1. From the Ji surname: When the Zhou Dynasty was first established, the 13th son of King Wen of Zhou was granted the fief of Yong, which was located in what is now Qinyang County, Henan Province. This prince was also titled “Bo,” and he became the founder of the Yong state. His descendants adopted the name of the state as their surname, which has been passed down through generations.
2. From a place name: According to historical records, some descendants of the Yellow Emperor lived in the area of Yong during the period between the Shang and Zhou dynasties and adopted the name of the place as their surname.

The prominent family of the Yong clan resided in Jingzhao Commandery, which is located east of present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi Province.

Patriarch of the Yong Clan: The patriarch of the Yong clan is Yong Bo. Descendants of the Ji family, they are descendants of the royal lineage of the Zhou Dynasty, dating back over 3,000 years. After King Cheng of Zhou ascended the throne, Yong Bo was granted the fief of Yong and became a vassal of the Zhou emperor. The ancient territory of the Yong state was located in the northeastern part of Qinyang County, Henan Province, bordering Xiuwu County. According to “Tongzhi·Shizu Lue,” the pronunciation of “Yong” in this context signifies the name of the fief granted to Yong Bo. The “Mingxian Shizu Yanxing Leigao” also mentions that the 13th son of King Wen of Zhou adopted the name of the state as his surname.

Migration and Distribution: The Yong surname is not among the top 100 most common surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. It originates from the Ji family. During the Zhou Dynasty, after King Wu of Zhou defeated King Zhou of Shang and divided the land among his vassals, his 13th son was granted the fief of Yong. Some of Yong Bo’s descendants adopted the name of the fief as their surname, which has continued through generations to form the modern Yong clan.

Hall Names: Common hall names for the Yong clan include “Yanyi Hall.”

Couplets for Yong Clan Ancestral Halls:

• Four-character Couplet:
  “Originating from the Zhou Dynasty; Renowned in Pingyuan.”
  This couplet refers to the origins of the Yong clan and its historical significance in Pingyuan Commandery (as mentioned in the sections on clan origins and historical locations above).

• Six-character Couplet:
  “Xiri, a master of Go; Xingyuan, a landscape painter.”
  This couplet honors Yong Xiri, a master Go player from the Ming Dynasty, and Yong Yun, a landscape painter from the Song Dynasty.

• Seven-character Couplets:
  “Renowned for governance and poetry; Master of elegant literature.”
  These couplets honor notable individuals from the Ming and Song dynasties who excelled in their respective fields.

Additional Notes:

• Anecdotes about the Yong Clan: According to the “Search for Gods” (Soushen Ji), Yong Bo of Luoyang was known for distributing charitable food and water to those in need. Someone once gave him a stone, promising that planting it would yield beautiful jade and a beautiful wife. Yong Bo planted the stone in his field, and later married a beautiful woman from the Xu family, who requested a pair of white jade as a dowry. This story is often cited as an example of a “fated union” or a “miraculous marriage arrangement.”