Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 01-24-12 23:35
一寸光陰一寸金,---Yi cun4 guang yin yi cun4 jin,
寸金難買寸光陰.---Cun4 jin nan2 mai4 cun4 guang yin.
An inch of time is an inch of gold,
But an inch of gold will not buy an inch of time.
[Time is more precious than gold]
---------------------------------------------
The 70th most common Chinese surname ZOU 鄒 (070)
Zou means: a name of an ancient State in China.
The surname Zou is about 2,300 years old.
The surname Zou originated in an area referred to during the Qin Dynasty
(秦朝 221BC to 207BC) as the Fanyang prefecture (范陽郡). The present day
location of Fanyang prefecture is in Dingxing county (定興縣 115.2 degree
East and 39.3 degree North on the world map) of Hebei province (河北省).
Cao Jia (曹挾), a descendant of Huang Di (黃帝) or the Yellow Emperor, the
legendary leader of the federated tribes, was one of the many people who
helped Ji Fa (姬發), the leader of the Zhou Clan (周族), to destroy the
Shang Dynasty (商朝 1783BC to1122BC) and establish the Zhou Dynasty (周朝
1134BC to 256BC). Ji Fa was installed as the first King, officially known
as Zhou King Wu (周武王). He not only rewarded Cao Jia the inheritable title
of Zi (子) or Viscount but also delegated him authority to rule a district
called Zhu (邾 in present day Zou (陬) village southeast of Qu Fu (曲阜)
county in Shandong (山東) province. (Note: this Zhu is written as the present
day surname Zhu plus a big right ear on the right. The big ear is equivalent
to Yi (邑which means city or town). District Zhu was renamed as the State
of Zhu which was nicknamed Xiao Zhu (小邾) or little Zhu through out the
history.
In the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋時代 722BC to 481BC),
in 718BC, the ruler of Zhu formed an alliance with the State of Zheng (鄭
in present day Xinzheng 新鄭 city in Henan 河南 province). Together they
invaded the State of Song (宋 in present day Shangqiu, 商丘 county in Henan
河南 province). The combined forces were defeated by Song.
Other than this incursion the people of Zhu lived peacefully and happily.
However, 230 years later in 487BC Cao Yi (曹益) became the leader of Zhu.
He was a wicked and cruel ruler. In order to punish him the neighbouring
State of Lu (魯 in present day Qufu county 曲阜縣 in Shandong province)
invaded Zhu and captured Cao Yi who was imprisoned in Lu for one year.
While Cao Yi was in captivity Zhu was leaderless. The ruler of another neighbouring
State called Wu (吳 in present day Wu county 吳縣 in Jiangsu province 江
蘇省) installed Cao Ge (曹革), a son of Cao Yi as the new ruler of Zhu.
The following year, Cao Yi was released. He returned home and dismissed
his son as the ruler and resumed his right as the ruler of Zhu. Cao Yi did
not repent, continuing to be wicked and cruel. Cao Yi was confident of being
supported by the State of Wu should he be in trouble. However, Wu did not
tolerate his bad behaviour and invaded Zhu and captured him, imprisoning
him for the second time. His son Cao Ge became the ruler of Zhu the second
time.
In 473BC, when Wu was conquered and annexed by the State of Yue (越 in present
day Zhuji county 諸暨縣 in Zhejiang province 浙江省) Cao Yi was released
by the ruler of Yue. He returned home and expelled his son Cao Ge the second
time and became the ruler the third time.
Again Cao Yi did not repent but continued to behave badly and for being
wicked and cruel. The ruler of Yue imprisoned and sentenced him to life
imprisonment. The ruler of Yue installed his other son named Cao He (曹和
) as the new ruler of Zhu. Cao He changed the name of his State from Zhu
to Zou (鄒) since Zhu and Zou had the same pronunciation in Yue dialect.
During the period of Warring States (453BC to 221BC) in 372BC Mencius was
born in the State of Zou. Mencius was a great philosopher and an ardent
champion of Confucianism.
In 310BC State of Zou was conquered and annexed by the State of Chu (楚
in present day Jiangling county 江陵縣 in Hubei province 湖北省). Some of
the royal members of Zou adopted ZOU (鄒) as their surname.
The couplet of surname Zou
源自邾樓,---Yuan2 zi4 Zhulou,
望出范陽.---Wang4 chu Fanyang.
The surname Zou was originated from surname Zhu,
And it began to spread from the Fanyang Prefecture.
.....................................................................
Famous persons produced by Zou Clan include:
(1) 鄒容 (Zou Rong 1885AD to 1911AD)
Zou Rong was born in Ba county (巴縣 the present day city of Chongqing 重
慶市 in Sichuan province 四川省), during the Qing Dynasty (清朝 1644AD to
1911AD). In 1904AD he joined the organization called Tongmenghui (同盟會
) which was established by Dr. Sun Yat-sen (孫中山). He became the leader
of the organization's branch in Fujian province (福建省).
Zou Rong took part in the uprising in the city of Guangzhou (廣州) on 29th
March, 1911. The revolutionists failed to capture the city and the uprising
was crushed by the Qing Government. Zou Rong was killed. After the battle,
72 bodies of the revolutionists were found and they were buried in the hill
called Huanghuagang (黃花崗) in the city of Guangzhou. Eventually, in the
same year of 10th October Dr. Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Qing Government
and established the Republic of China.
Zou Rong had written a book titled Ge Min Jun (革命軍) or the Revolutionary
Army which was very popular at that time. It was about how to organize a
revolutionary army with the intention of overthrowing the Qing Government.
http://baike.baidu.com/view/48462.htm
....................................................
(2) 鄒守益 (Zou Shouyi 1491AD to 1562AD)
Zou Shouyi was born in Anfu (安福 present day Anfu county 安福縣 in Jiangxi
province 江西省) during the Ming Dynasty (明朝 1368AD to 1644AD). He was
a student of Wang Shouren (王守仁 1472AD to 1528AD), the great scholar and
statesman of the Ming Dynasty. He passed the Imperial Examination and became
a Jinshi (進士 a scholar) and was appointed an official. Years later he
was made a Hanlin Xueshi (翰林學士) or a member of the Imperial Academy.
He present his advice twice to the Emperor who refused to accept his advice.
Knowing that the Emperor was not appreciating his work he resigned from
the Imperial Academy and returned to his hometown to teach. He had many pupils
who called him Mr. Dong Kuo (東廓先生). He had written several books and
the most popular one was titled Dong Kuo Ji (東廓集).
http://www.ct.taipei.gov.tw/zh-tw/C/Sage/Confucian/1/14/159.htm
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Posted to Overseas Chinese Forum at asiawind.com
By CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
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