Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 01-06-12 02:00
The 7th most common Chinese surname HUANG 黃 (007)
Huang means: yellow.
The surname Huang is about 2,600 years old.
The surname Huang originated in an area referred to during the Han Dynasty
(漢朝 206BC to 220AD) as the Jiangxia prefecture (江夏郡). The present day
location of Jiangxia prefecture is in Yunmeng county (雲夢縣 113.8 degree
East and 31.0 degree North on the world map) of Hubei province (湖北省).
According to the Chinese historical records, in 2205BC, Yao Di (堯帝), the
legendary chief of federated tribes in ancient China, abdicated and Si Wenming
(姒文命) was elected as the new leader. Si Wenmeng was known as Yu Di (禹
帝) who founded the Xia Dynasty (夏朝 2205BC to 1766BC). Yu Di delegated
authority to Da Lian (大廉), a descendant of Huang Di (黃帝) or the Yellow
Emperor, to rule a city called Huang (黃 present day Huangchuan county 黃
川縣 in Henan province 河南省). The city of Huang was later renamed the
State of Huang (黃國).
Through out the period of Xia Dynasty, the State of Huang was being despised
as the State of Huang Yi (黃夷國) which means "Yellow Barbarians". It was
not until in the era of Shang Dynasty (商朝 1783BC to 1122BC) that the State
of Huang was being respected by other States as a civilized State, because
Yi Yin (伊尹), who became the Prime Minister of King Cheng Tang (成湯王),
the first King of Shang Dynasty, was born and grew up in the State of Huang.
In 1122BC, Ji Fa (姬發), destroyed the Shang Dynasty and established the
Zhou Dynasty (周朝1134BC to 256BC). He was installed as the first King and
crowned Zhou King Wu (周武王). He bestowed upon the contemporary ruler of
the State of Huang the inheritable title of Zi (子) or Viscount.
During the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋時代 722BC to 481BC), in 648BC,
the State of Huang was conquered and annexed by the State Chu ( 楚國 present
day Jiangling county 江陵縣 of Hubei province 湖北省). Xiong Yun (熊惲)
, the 20th ruler of Chu, who ruled Chu from 671BC to 626BC, congregated
all the citizens in the State of Huang, including the last ruler of the
State of Huang, Dai (戴), and relocated them to the south near the river
of Changjiang (長江) or Yangtze River, in the region of the present day
cities of Wuhan (武漢) Wuchang (武昌) and Hanyang (漢陽) in Hubei province
(湖北省).
The migrants from the State of Huang settled down well in their new homes
in the region of Jiangxia Prefecture (江夏郡) where surname Huang is said
to have originated. The present day city of Wuchang was called Jiangxia
county (江夏縣) in the old days. Many of the new settlers adopted HUANG
(黃) as their surname in remembrance of their extinct State. The Huangs
multiplied very fast and their offspring spread all over the world. Presently
the popularity of surname Huang is No.8 among the few thousand Chinese surnames.
NOTE: There are many cities and towns in Hubei province named after Huang:
Huang Mei(黃梅), Huang Shi (黃石), Huang Gang (黃岡), Huang Po (黃陂); and
many others.
The couplet for surname Huang
源自春秋,---Yuan2 zi Chun Qiu,
望出江夏.---Wang chu Jiangxia.
The surname Huang started during the period of Spring and Autum,
And the clan began to spread from Jiangxia.
-------------------------------------------------
Famous historical figures of the Huang clan
(1) Huang Xing (黃興 1874 to 1916)
http://yn.chung.id.au/HuangXing.jpg
Huang Xing was born in a village called Dong Xiang (東鄉), east of the city
of Changsha (長沙) of Hunan province (湖南省). His father estblished a school
in Changsha and he studied there until he was 19. He then enrolled at a
school where the teaching was on western line. Huang Xing had some knowledge
of military matters and was a soldier by disposition. He planned to lead
an uprising in 1904. However, an informer informed his plan to the police
who arrived at his house to arrest him. Somehow he escaped and fled to Japan
where he met Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
In September 1905, when Dr Sun Yat-sen organized the Tung Meng Hui (同盟
會) or The League of Sworn Brothers, Huang Xing joined the new organization.
He returned to Hunan province to set up branches of Tung Meng Hui.
Huang Xing took part in the uprising in the city of Guangzhou (廣州) on
27th September 1911. The revolutionists failed to capture the city and the
uprising was crushed by the Qing Government. Huang Xing fled to Hong Kong.
Eventually, in the same year of 10th October Dr. Sun Yat-sen overthrew the
Qing Government. When the Republic of China was established the following
year Huang Xing was appointed the Commander-in-chief of the army. In autumn
he returned to Changsha triumphantly.
涼秋時節黃花黃, 大好英雄返故鄉;
一手締造共和國, 洞庭衡岳生榮光.
--------------------------------------------------
(2) Huang Qiaoshan (黃峭山 950AD to 1048AD)
Huang Qiaoshan was born in Shaowu county (邵武縣) in Fujian province (福
建省). In 980AD he passed the Imperial Examination and became a Jinshi (進
士) or a scholar. He was appointed an official. He married three wives
with the surnames of Zheng (鄭), Shangguan (上官) and Wu (吳). Each of his
wives bore him seven sons making him the father of 21 sons. He wrote a poem
encouraging his children to leave home and pursue their future. His children,
eventually ended up settling in the provinces of Jiangsu (江蘇省), Jiangxi
(江西省), Henan ( 河南省) and Guangdong (廣東省). Many of the offspring from
Guangdong emigrated to other parts of the world.
This is Huang Qiao shan's poem:
策馬登程出異疆, 任從隨處立綱常.
年深外境猶吾境, 日久他鄉即故鄉.
早夜莫忘親命語, 晨昏須炷祖爐香.
願言蒼昊垂庇蔭, 三七兒男總熾昌.
This is the English translation by the Huang (Wong) Family Benevolent Association
USA.
Away on your horses to other lands,
Set up your homes wherever you can.
Years gone by, the other lands will be inhabited like our own lands,
Days gone by, the settled villages will be our old villages.
Everyday don't forget your parents' words,
Every morning and evening you must present
incense to the alter of your ancestors.
I wish the gods hear my words and bless my sons
to propagate and be prosperous forever.
---------------------------------------------
(3) Huang Chao (黃巢 ? to 884AD)
Huang Chao was the leader of a peasant uprising towards the end of Tang
Dynasty (唐朝 618AD to 907AD). In 875AD, starting from his home district
Caozhou (曹州 present day Caoxian 曹縣 in Shandong province 山東省), Huang
Cao led armed peasants in victorious battles against the imperialforces.
He titled himself the "Heavenly-Storming General". In the course of a decade
he swept through the regions of Huanghe (黃河), Changjiang (長江), Huai
River (淮河) and Zhujiang (珠江), reaching as far as the province of Guangxi
(廣西省). From Henan province (河南省), he finally broke through the Tongguan
(潼關) pass, and captured the imperial capital of Changan (長安 present
day Xi An 西安 city in Shaanxi province 陜西省). He crowned himself the
Great Emperor of Qi (大齊皇帝).
Internal dissensions and attacks by the non-Han tribal allies of the Tang
forces compelled Huang Chao to abandon the city of Changan and retreat to
his native district, where he committed suicide.
The ten years' war fought by him is one of the most famous peasant wars
in Chinese history. Dynastic historians recorded that "all people suffering
from heavy taxes and levies rallied to him." But as he merely carried on
roving warfare without ever establishing relatively consolidated base areas,
his forces were being called "roving rebel bands".
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Posted to Overseas Chinese Forum at asiawind.com
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
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