Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 01-13-11 09:05
Chinese surname - the 26th most common Chinese surname -- 韓 (HAN)
Han means: a name of an ancient State in China.
The surname Han is about 2,700 years old.
The surname Han originated in an area referred to during the Qin Dynasty
(秦朝221BC to 207BC) as the Nanyang prefecture (南陽郡). The present day
location of Nanyang prefecture is the Nanyang county (南陽縣 112.5 degree
East and 33.0 degree North on the world map) in Henan province (河南省).
In 1115BC, Ji Song (姬誦) was crowned Zhou King Cheng (周城王), the 2nd
King of the Zhou Dynasty (周朝1134BC to 256BC). The reign of Zhou King Cheng
lasted until 1078BC. In 1106BC Zhou King Cheng delegated authority to his
younger brother,Tang Shuyu (唐叔虞) to rule a district called Jin (晉 present
day Yicheng county 翼城縣 in Shanxi province 山西省). Zhou King Cheng also
bestowed upon his brother the heritable title of Hou (侯) or Marquis. Tang
Shuyu renamed the district of Jin as the State of Jin (晉國). After the
death of Tang Shuyu his eldest son named Ji Xie (姬燮) succeeded him and
inherited the title Hou.
Ji Xie appointed one of his sons, Ji Biwan (姬畢萬) to administer a city
called Hanyuan (韓原 in the present day southeast of Hejin county 河 津縣
in Shanxi province). Ji Biwan renamed the city the State of Han (韓國).
In 757BC the State of Han was absorbed by the State of Jin. The offspring
of Ji Biwan adopted HAN (韓) as their surname.
In 453BC, one of the descendants of Ji Biwan became a very powerful general
in the Jin Court. His name was Han Qian (韓虔). General Han Qian formed
an alliance with two of the most powerful families in the State of Jin:
the Zhao (趙) family and the Wei (魏) family. Together they plotted and
carved up the State of Jin into three States. They became the State of Zhao
(趙國), the State of Wei (魏國) and the State of Han (韓國). General Han
Qian established his capital in Yangdi (陽翟 present day Yu county 禹縣
in Shanxi province).
The division of the State of Jin triggered a chaotic situation in the land.
Wars broke out among the States. The historians referred to this period
as the Warring States Period (戰國時代 453BC to 221BC).
In 403BC, Zhou King Wei Lie (周烈王 425BC to 402BC), the 32nd King of the
Zhou Dynasty, officially recognized the State of Han. In 376BC Han Ai (韓
哀) was installed as the ruler of Han who ruled from 376BC to 374BC. The
following year he conquered and annexed the State of Zheng (鄭國 present
day Xinzheng 新鄭 city in Henan province 河南省). Han Ai shifted his capital
from Yangdi to Xinzheng.
In 238BC Han An (韓安) became the ruler of Han. The ruler of the State of
Qin (秦國present day Fengxiang county 鳳翔縣 in Shaanxi province 陜西省)
was Ying Zheng (嬴政) who wanted to unite the land into one big empire.
The only way to achieve his ambition was by force. He began to use force
and started to conquer other States in the land.
In 230BC, Ying Zheng ordered one of his generals called Nei Shisheng (內
史勝) to invade Han. Han An surrendered without a fight. The troops occupied
the State of Han and Han An became the prisoner of Qin. The state of Han
was incorporated into the Prefecture of Yingchuan (穎川) in Henan province
(河南省). Members of the royal family of Han continued to use HAN as their
surname.
The couplet of surname Han is:
南陽望族,---Nanyang wang4 zu2,
北斗高明.---Beidou gao ming2.
This couplet is about Han Yu (韓愈 768AD to 824AD),
Who was a famous scholar cum poet during the Tang Dynasty (唐朝 618AD to
907AD)
........................................................
Prominent persons produced by the Han Clan
(1) Han Xin (韓信 ? to 196BC)
開漢將才, Kai Han jiang cai2,
國士無雙.. Guo2 Shi4 wu2 shuang.
There was no generals like the one
Who helped to found the Han Dynasty.
Han Xin was from the county of Huaiyin (淮陰縣 in the southeast of present
day Huaiyin county in Jiangsu province 江蘇省). His father died when Han
Xin was only a little boy and his family was very poor. Han Xin did not
want to become a farmer and he did not possess the skill to be a businessman.
He could not become an official as he had little education. He just did
nothing but loitering around. It was due to his incapacity to support his
mother that she died soon after. Han Xin was so poor that he had to beg
for food from friends he knew.
The military officer in the city of Nanchang (南昌 present day Nan Chang
city in Jiangxi province 江西省) was a friend of Han Xin. Taking advantage
of his friendship, Han Xin, frequently had dinner in the officer's house.
The officer did not mind because Han Xin was a friend. However, the wife
of the officer did not like Han Xin regularly having dinner in their place.
She purposely changed the time for having dinner. She served dinner at odd
times and Han Xin very often missed the dinner. Eventually, Han Xin discovered
that he was not welcomed in their place. So Han Xin did not go there for
free dinner.
Since he had nothing to do and had no means to support himself, Han Xin
went fishing in the river in the outskirts of the town of Huaiyin. There
were many women came to the river to wash their clothing. One old women
felt pity on him and provided him with food, three meals a day. For over
a month the old lady gave him food. One day, Han Xin told the old lady that
he was very grateful to her for supporting him. He promised that he would
reward her when he became rich. On hearing this the old lady scolded Han
Xin, "I feel pity on you that is why I give you food. A young man like cannot
even support yourself let alone of thinking of rewarding me. If you are
really a man do something for yourself." Han Xin thought that the old lady
was right.
Han Xin was very fond of carrying his sword wherever he went. One day, he
caught a few fish. He decided to sell them in the town. There were a few
undesirable young men in town. Seeing Han Xin carrying a sword and a few
fish, one of them made fun of Han Xin. He came to Han Xin and challenged
him saying, "You are carrying a sword. So you must be a brave man. If you
are not afraid to died, use your sword and stab me. If you are afraid to
die then crawl under my legs." There were many people looking at the young
man and Han Xin. They were all watching what Han xin had to do. After some
hesitation Han Xin crawled under the young man's crotched legs. The action
was a disgraceful-disgrace. The people watching Han Xin were all burst out
laughing. They all said that Han Xin was a timid and a coward young man.
Having learned the lessons from the old lady and the bad young man Han Xin
thought that he should do something about his life.
It was during the period of the Qin Dynasty (秦朝 221BC to 207BC). The people
suffered greatly under the Qin Government and they organized themselves
into armed bands to rebel against the Qin Government. Han Xin joined the
band that organized by Xiang Liang (項梁), who was a descendant of the former
state of Chu (楚國). Soon after another armed band organized by Liu Bang
(劉邦) joined Xiang Liang's group. The allied groups grew into a large army.
Han Xin was only a junior officer. When Xiang Liang died in the battle his
nephew Xiang Yu (項羽) became the leader of the band. However, Han Xin remained
as a junior officer and he was not happy.
In 206BC, the Qin Dynasty was destroyed by the forces of Xiang Yu and Liu
Bang. Han Xin continued to serve as a junior officer in the army under the
command of Xiang Yu. After the destruction of the Qin Government Xiang Yu
became the ruler of the land. He bestowed upon Liu Bang the Prince of Han
(漢王) and transferred Liu Bang to Hanzhong (漢中 present day Nanzheng county
南鄭縣 in Shaanxi province 陜西省).
Since he was not being promoted in Xiang Yu's army Han Xin defected to Liu
Bang. While he was in Hanzhong he met Xiao He (蕭何), the Prime Minster
of Liu Bang. Han Xin and Xiao He often had long discussion on current affairs.
They agreed that sooner or later Xiang Yu would have war with Liu Bang.
In spite of the fact that Han Xin was a good military strategist Liu Bang
appointed Han Xin as an officer in charge of provision which was a junior
post in the army. Han Xin was disappointed.
One day in the late afternoon, Han Xin decided to leave Hanzhong for good.
He packed his belongings and rode off with a horse. After work, Xiao He
heard that Han Xin had left through the east gate of the city. Xiao He was
in panic and immediately he rode and tried to call Han Xin to come back.
Xiao He pursued Han Xin throughout the night. Eventually he got up with
Han Xin. Xiao He persuaded Han Xin to return to Hanzhong.
On hearing that Xiao He was chasing after Han Xin in the middle of the night,
Liu Bang was not happy. Finally, Xiao He and Han Xin returned to the city.
The next day, when Liu Bang met Xiao He, he told him that, " Many officers
had left Hanzhong why Prime Minister did not care. Why Han Xin, a junior
officer, has caused you such a great stir." Xiao He replied that, "Han Xin
is a great military strategist. There is no second one like Han Xin in the
country 國士無雙 (Guo Shi Wu Shuang The only officer in the country). You
need him to fight a war with Xiang Yu."
Soon after, a civil war broke out between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. Han Xin
was appointed by Liu Bang as the commander-in-chief of the Han armed forces.
The war lasted for five years until 202BC and Han Xin assisted Liu Bang
in winning the civil war against Xiang Yu. Eventually, Liu Bang founded
the Han Dynasty 206BC to 220AD) and became the first emperor of the Han
Dynasty. Han Xin was rewarded the title of "大將軍 The Great General" and
later rewarded him another title " The Marquis of Huaiyin 淮陰侯."
Han Xin told one of his house keepers to go to his hometown and gave a few
pieces of gold to the old lady who gave him food when he was fishing in
the river when he was young.
.....................................................................
(2) Han Shizhong (韓世忠1089AD to 1151AD)
Han Shizhong was a general in the armed forces of the Song Dynasty (宋朝
960AD to 1279AD). In 1130AD, the fourth year reign of Emperor Gao Zong
(高宗皇帝趙構 1127AD to 1162AD), the Jin Army (金兵) of 100,000 strong under
the command of Wan Yan Wu Zhu (完顏兀朮) attacked Huang Tiandang (黃天蕩
the present day city of Nanjing 南京市 in Jiangsu province 江蘇省). The
Song army of about 8,000 men under the command of Han Shizhong fought against
the Jin invaders. While Hang Shizhong was leading the Song Army fighting
the Jin Army, his wife Liang Hongyu (梁紅玉) beat the war drums to give
him
the moral support (擊鼓助戰﹐激勵士氣). The Jin Army could not cross Changjiang
(長江 the Yangtze River). In the end, the Song Army had to withdraw from
the city of Huang Tiandang which fell to the Jin Army.
Six years later, in 1136AD, Emperor Gao Zong appointed Han Shizhong the
Military Governor of Chuzhou (楚州 present day Huaian county 淮安縣 in Jiangsu
province). His wife, Liang Hongyu accompanied him on his new appointment.
Liang Hongyu 與士卒披荊斬棘﹐她親身織帘為屋 or helped the soldiers and officers
to settle in the new environment. In appreciation of her service Emperor
Gao Zong rewarded Liang Hongyu the title of Lady Anguo (安國夫人). This
is what the people said about her, 滿江還響紅玉鼓=Man jiang huan xiang Hong
Yu gu.
......................................................
(3) Han Yu (韓愈 768AD to 824AD)
Han Yu was born in Nanyang (南陽 present day Meng county 孟縣 in Henan province
河南省). At an early age he studied the Classics and had read many books.
He passed the Imperial Examination in 792AD and became a Jin Shi (進士)
or a scholar and was appointed an official. He was a scholar as well as
a brilliant poet. He was regarded as one of the eight best known poets during
the Tang Dynasty (唐朝 618AD to 907AD). His famous couplet was:
弟子不必不如師,---Di4 zi3 bu4 bi4 bu4 ru2 shi,
師不必賢于弟子.---Shi bu4 bi4 xian2 yu2 di4 zi3.
Pupils do not necessarily to be as good as the teacher,
A teacher does not necessarily to be as worthy as the pupils.
-------------------------------------
Posted to asiawin.com
By CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
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