Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 01-05-12 21:27
The 5th most common Chinese surname CHEN 陳 (005)
Chen means: to arrange; to exhibit; to narrate; old.
The surname Chen is about 2,400 years old.
The surname Chen originated in an area referred to during the Qin Dynasty
(秦朝 221BC to 207BC) as Yingchuan prefecture (潁川郡). The present day
location of Yingchuan prefecture is in Xuchang county (許昌縣 113.8 degree
East and 34.0 degree North on the world map) of Henan province (河南省).
According to the book Shi Ji (史記) by Si-Ma Qian (司-馬遷145BC to 86BC)
the two wives of Yao Di (堯帝), chief of the federated tribes in ancient
China, were from the area near the river of Guirui (媯汭 present day Yongji
county 永濟縣 in Shanxi province 山西省). Yao Di was the 5th generation
descendant of Huang Di (黃帝), the Yellow Emperor. In 2255BC Yao Di abdicated
in favour of Shun Di (舜帝) as the new chief. Shun Di used the word Gui (媯
) for Guirui as his surname. In 2205BC Shun Di abdicated and Si Wenming (姒
文命) was elected as the new ruler who was known as Yu Di (禹帝). Yu Di
gave the authority to Gui Shang (媯商), who was the son of Shun Di, to rule
a few settlements in a place called Yu (虞 present day Yucheng county 禹
城縣 in Henan province 河南省).
Many generations after Gui Shang, in 1122BC Zhou King Wu (周武王), destroyed
the Shang Dynasty (商朝 1783BC to 1122BC) and established the Zhou Dynasty
(周朝 1134BC to 256BC). Zhou King Wu inherited a vast country, but the primitive
communication technology at that time made it impossible to govern such
a big country efficiently. He was desperately in need of capable personnel
to administer his empire, so he delegated authority to his relatives, officials,
generals and aristocrats to rule on his behalf.
Gui Efu (媯閼父) had assisted Zhou King Wu in destroying the preceding Shang
Dynasty. Gui Efu was the 33rd generation descendant of Gui Shang. Zhou King
Wu rewarded Gui Efu by employing him as a Taozheng (陶正) or official in
charge of weapons.
Gui Man (媯滿), the eldest son of Gui Efu, married Zhou King Wu's eldest
daughter, Da Ji (大姬). Hu Gong (胡公) was the name given by Zhou King Wu
to his son-in-law and Gui Man came to be known as Hu Gong Man (胡公滿).
Zhou King Wu not only bestowed upon Hu Gong Man the hereditary title of
Hou (侯) or Marquis but also gave him the authority to rule a district called
Chen (陳 present day Huaiyang county 淮陽縣 in Henan province). Hu Gong
Man renamed the district of Chen the State of Chen (陳國) and established
his capital in Wanqiu (宛丘 present day Huaiyang county in Henan province).
Hu Gong Man was the founder of the State of Chen.
After Hu Gong Man, nothing much was written about the rulers of the State
of Chen until the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋時代 722BC to 481BC). In
717BC Gui Bao (媯鮑) was installed as the 12th ruler of the State of Chen.
When Gui Bao died in 707BC, his younger brother Gui Tu (媯突), murdered
the inducted crown prince, Gui Mian (媯免) and Gui Tu proclaimed himself
the ruler of Chen. However, the people of Chen supported Gui Yue (媯躍),
another son of Gui Bao. Eventually the officials of Chen had Gui Tu killed.
Gui Yue was installed as the ruler of Chen, but he died five months later.
Gui Lin (媯林), the younger brother of Gui Yue became the fifteenth ruler
of Chen.
In 568BC Gui Ruo (媯弱) was installed as the 22nd ruler of Chen. Gui Zhao
(媯招), the younger brother of Gui Ruo, did not like the crown prince Gui
Shi (媯師), the eldest son of Gui Ruo. So Gui Zhao had Gui Shi murdered.
Gui Ruo ordered his guards to arrest Gui Zhao, but Gui Zhao sent in troops
to besiege the palace. Gui Ruo the ruler committed suicide. Gui Zhao installed
Gui Liu (媯柳), another son of Gui Ruo as the ruler.
On hearing that there was a power struggle in the State of Chen, Xiong Qian
(熊虔), the 26th ruler of the State of Chu (楚國 present day Jiangling county
江陵縣 in Hubei province 湖北省) led an army to invade Chen. Gui Liu the
new ruler of Chen, fled to the State of Zheng (鄭國 present day Yingyang
county 滎陽縣 in Henan province). The State of Chen was under the control
of Chu as there was no ruler in Chen because the ruler had fled the State.
Xiong Qian died in 529BC. In order to please the world, Xiong Ju (熊居)
the new ruler of Chu revived the State of Chen and appointed Gui Wu (媯吳
), who was the grandson of Gui Ruo, as the 33rd ruler of Chen. However,
in 478BC Xiong Zhang (熊章), the grandson of Xiong Ju killed Gui Yue (媯
越), the 35th ruler of Chen and absorbed Chen as a part of Chu. That was
the end of the State of Chen.
All the members of the royal house of Chen changed their surname from Gui
(媯) to Chen (陳) in remembrance of their beloved State. Nowadays, there
are very few people with this ancient surname of Gui. (Please refer to the
chronology of the State Of Chen).
The couplets of surname Chen.
潁川世澤,---Chuan Ying shi4 ze2
鄉賢家聲.---Xiang xian2 jia sheng.
The able and virtuous persons of Chen
Shine all over the world.
--------------------------------
Famous historical people produced by the Chen clan
(1) Chen Ziang (陳子昂)
He lived during the Tang Dynasty (唐朝 618AD to 907AD) and was a official
during the reign of Empress Au Zetian (武則天女皇帝 690AD to 704AD). He
was a pot too and the following poem was one of them.
登幽州臺歌 Deng You Zhou [1A] Ge
(The song of a gate-tower in Youzhou)
前不見古人,------Qian2 bu4 jian4 gu3 ren2,
後不見來人.------Hou4 bu4 jian4 lai2 ren2.
念天地之悠悠,---Nian4 tian di4 zhi you you,
獨愴然而淚下.---Du2 chuang4 ran2 er2 lei4 xia4
The explanations in Chinese and English
(1) 在前看不見古時的人,
In front of me, I can't see the ancients,
(2) 在後看不見未來的人.
Behind me I can't see the people of the future.
(3) 我登在這幽州臺上, 想念那遙遠無窮的天地, 旋轉不息;
I am standing on top of the gate-tower in Youzhou, looking at the infinite
world,
(4) 我獨自感傷著生不逢時, 不禁要淌下淚來了.
Feeling alone, I am sad that I was born in the wrong time, with tears welling
up in my eyes.
Note:
[1A] Youzhou (幽州) is the ancient name of the territory of the present
day
of Hebei province (河北省).
----------------------------------
(2) 陳嘉庚 (Chen Jiageng or Tan Kah Kee 1874AD to 1961AD)
http://yn.chung.id.au/Tan.KahKee.jpg
Chen Jiageng was from Jimei village (集美村) in Tongan county (同安縣) of
Fujian province. When he was young he ventured to Singapore to do business.
He made a fortune in rubber plantations. He built an university in Shamen
(廈門).
On 7th July 1937 the Japanese attacked Lugouqiao (蘆溝橋) near Beijing (北
京). The aggression by the Japanese marked the beginning of the eight-year
war of resistance against the Japanese. The Overseas Chinese throughout
the world supported the Chinese Government to resist the Japanese. There
were demonstrations everywhere in Malaya and Singapore. Japan began the
full scale invasion of China.
In 1938 the Overseas Chinese in Malaya (including Singapore) formed an organization
called South Seas area of the United China Relief Fund (UCRF). Tan Kah Kee
was elected the chairman of UCRF. This organization had remitted millions
of dollars to Chungking (重慶 Chongqing) Government to resist the Japanese.
In the early of 1940 the UCRF wanted to send a delegation to China to see
the war situation in China. The leader of this delegation was going to be
Tan Kah Kee. However, Tan Kah Kee said that he was not sure that he wanted
to go. He gave three reasons why he did not want to go. The first reason,
he said was that he could not speak Mandarin. The second reason was that
he was afraid of cold and the third reason was he had spinal cord pain.
Kao Ling Pai (高凌百 Gao Lingbai), the Chinese Consul-General representing
the Chungking regime, said that he would represent Tan Kah Kee and lead
the delegation to China. Knowing that Kao Ling Pai was a pro-Kuomintang
man Tan Kah Kee did not want Lao Ling Pai to lead the delegation. So Tan
Kah Kee told the UCRF that he would lead the delegation.
On 26th March 1940, more than 50 members of the delegation arrived in Chung
King. The leader of the delegation was Tan Kah Kee and the deputy leader
was Zhuang Xiyan (莊西言). Kao Ling Pai rushed to Chung King and told Chiang
Kai-shek (蔣介石) thatTan Kah Kee was a communist and Tan wanted to go to
Yanan to see Mao Tze Tung (毛澤東 Mao Zedong) and Chu Te (朱德 Zhu De).
Chaing Kai-shek Shek asked for a report on Tan Kah Kee. When the report
was presented to Chiang Kai-shek he read nothing about Tan Kah Kee being
a communist. The report also stated that Tan Kah Kee was not a member of
the Kuomintang.
In the morning of 28th March 1940 Chiang Kai-shek met Tan Kah Kee and all
the members of the delegation. After the meeting, the next day Tan Kah Kee
and his delegation began to tour Free China - territory not occupied by
the Japanese. On 9th July 1940 Tan Kah Kee and his men visited Yanan and
met Mao Zedong, Zhu De and Zhou Enlai (周恩來). The delegation stayed in
Yanan for nine days. Tan Kah Kee gave an ambulance vehicle to Mao Zedong.
The first motor car in Yanan and Mao Zedong occasionally used the ambulance
to receive American visitors and gave them a lift from the Yanan airport
to his Head Office in one of the caves. The delegation returned to Chung
King on 18th July 1940 and went back to Malaya on 30th July 1940.
On December 8th 1941, Japanese troops landed on Malaya and Singapore was
bombed on the same day.
On 26th December 1941, the British Chief Police Officer of Singapore went
to Yi He Xuan recreation club (怡和軒俱樂部) to see Tan Kah Kee, the president
of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The Police Officer told Tan
Kah Kee that the Governor of Singapore, Sir Shenton Thomas, wanted him to
convene a meeting of all the Chinese Organizations in Singapore to form
a war committee to mobilize the able-bodied Chinese in Singapore to help
the British to defend Singapore. Tan Kah Kee turned down his request. The
British police officer even begged Tan Kah Kee. Obstinately, Tan Kah Kee
refused the Governor's request and the Police Officer went off..
On December 27th, the Chinese Relation Officer, Mr Jordan, came and requested
Tan Kah Kee to organize the Chinese to help the British to defend Singapore.
Tan Kah Kee declined his request. Mr Jordan told Tan Kah Kee that the Singapore
Governor was not happy with him. Tan Kah Kee told Mr Jordan that he was
not happy with the Governor too. Tan Kah Kee said that on 13 December when
the British evacuated Penang, the British secretly used trains to transport
only the British nationals of British race to be evacuated to Singapore.
No Asiatics were permitted to embark on the trains, not even some Eurasian
wives of British nationals. Sir Shenton Thomas personally went to the railway
station to welcome these British nationals of British origin, to Singapore.
Tan Kah Kee told Mr Jordan to convey the message to the Governor that if
the British did not care about the Asians why should the British ask the
Chinese for assistance. More than half of Tan Kah Kee's rubber estates were
in the state of Perak which was overrun by the Japanese already.
On December 28th, Tan Kah Kee requested all the leaders of all the Chinese
Organizations in Singapore to go to the Governor's Residence the next day
to meet the Governor.
On December 29th, the Governor, Sir Shenton Thomas, met the few hundred
Chinese leaders and he apologized for what the Penang Authority had done
on the evacuation of only British nationals. The Governor promised that
this kind of unhappy event would not be repeated. After listening to what
the Governor had said Tan Kah Kee and all the leaders of the Chinese organizations
agreed to help the British to defend Singapore.
December 30th, a meeting of all the leaders of the Chinese organizations
in Singapore was held at the hall of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce
building. Representatives of the Hakka Associations, Hokkien Associations,
Teochew Associations, Hainanese Associations, Cantonese Associtions and
many other organizations were present. The Chinese Ambassador to Malaya,Gao
Ling Bai was also at the meeting which was chaired by Tan Kah Kee. An Overseas
Chinese Anti-Japanese Committee was formed to guide the establishment of
one regiment of Home Guards and one regiment of Providing Services.
December 31st, members of the Overseas Anti-Japanese Chinese Committee convened
the first meeting at the building of the Jin Jiang Association (晉江會館
)
at Bukit Basui Road (武吉巴梭路). Tan Kah Kee was elected the Chaiman.
On January 1st 1942, an Armed Volunteers Force was officially formed and
it was called Dalforce. More than a thousand volunteers signed up. Under
the command of the British they fought the Japanese invaders.
Before the fall of Singapore, Tan Kah Kee left Singapore for India with
his family. No one could blame him because he could be the first Chinese
to be executed by the Japanese.
After the Second World War he returned to China and became the Chairman
of the Overseas Chinese Association in China.
----------------------------------------
(3) 陳勝 (Chen Shen ?? to 208BC)
Ying Zheng (嬴政) founded the Qin Dynasty (秦朝 221BC to 207BC) and proclaimed
that he was the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (秦始皇帝). Ying Zheng
died in 210BC and his second son, Ying Huhai (嬴胡海) succeeded him as the
second Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (秦二皇帝). The vast majority of the people
suffered greatly under the rigid and severe rule of the Qin Government.
Riots erupted throughout the empire, soldiers mutinied and the people were
in open revolt.
The first organized armed band uprising against the Qin Government was led
by Chen Sheng (陳勝) and Wu Guang (吳廣). Chen Sheng was from Yangcheng
(陽城 present day in the southeast of Dengfeng county 登封縣 in Henan province
河南省). Wu Guang was from Yangxia (陽夏 in present day Taikang county 太
康縣 in Henan province). Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were conscripted into the
Qin armed forces and both became lower ranking officers.
One day, in the seventh month of the second year reign of the Second Emperor
of Qin (209BC), Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were ordered to lead two battalions
of about nine hundred conscripts from the south to take up garrison at a
frontier post at Yuyang (漁陽 in the present day west of Miyun county 密
雲縣 of Beijing city 北京市 in Hebei province 河北省). When they arrived
at Daze Village (大澤鄉) of Qi county (蘄縣 in the southwest of present
day Su county 宿縣 in Anhui province 安徽省), it rained cats and dogs for
several days. They could not continue their journey because the roads were
impassable due to flooding. For sure, they could not reach their destination
on time. According to the harsh system of the Qin Government those who were
late to arrive at their destination were punishable with death "失期當斬
".Since they could be executed when they arrived at their destination Chen
Sheng and Wu Guang decided not go to the north but stage a revolt against
the Qin Government. All the conscripts were in favour of joining the uprising.
Immediately, they attacked and occupied the administration center of Qi
county and the surrounding villages. In a short period about ten thousand
poor peasants joined the revolt. They proclaimed the formation of a Kingdom
called Zhang Chu (張楚) and elected Chen Sheng as their King.
However, in the end the uprising was crushed by the Qin Government.
Posted to Overseas Chinese Forum at asiawind.com
By CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
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