Zhong (surname)
Encyclopedia
Zhong is pinyin transliteration of several Chinese surname
, including Zhōng 鍾/钟, Zhòng 种 and Zhòng 仲 etc. It's also transliterated as Tihon and Chung (especially in Vietnam
, Taiwan
, and Hong Kong
). It is the 56th most common last name in China. People surnamed Zhong are the descendents of Shang Tang. During the Zhou Dynasty
, a descendent of Shang Tang, Wei Zi Qi was made the duke of Song (south of Shanqiu, Henan
). A few generations later, Song Heng Gong had a son called Ao. Ao had a grandson Bo Zhong, who was a judge in the Jin kingdom. Bo pleaded for the duke of Jin to repent from his unrighteousness and was executed. His son Zhou Li fled to the kingdom of Chu and became the prime minister. He was awarded the land of ZhongLi (northeast of Fengyang, Anhui
), and his descendents were known as the ZhongLis. Among them, Zhongli Mei was a general under Xiang Yu. After Xiang Yu was defeated by Liu Bang, Zhongli Mei committed Suicide. Mei's son, Jie, fled to Zhangge, Henan
, and changed his last name to Zhong. Zhong Jie can be considered as the forefather of the Zhong family.
Chinese surname
Chinese family names have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and among overseas Chinese communities. In ancient times two types of surnames, family names and clan names , existed.The colloquial expressions laobaixing...
, including Zhōng 鍾/钟, Zhòng 种 and Zhòng 仲 etc. It's also transliterated as Tihon and Chung (especially in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
). It is the 56th most common last name in China. People surnamed Zhong are the descendents of Shang Tang. During the Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
, a descendent of Shang Tang, Wei Zi Qi was made the duke of Song (south of Shanqiu, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). A few generations later, Song Heng Gong had a son called Ao. Ao had a grandson Bo Zhong, who was a judge in the Jin kingdom. Bo pleaded for the duke of Jin to repent from his unrighteousness and was executed. His son Zhou Li fled to the kingdom of Chu and became the prime minister. He was awarded the land of ZhongLi (northeast of Fengyang, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
), and his descendents were known as the ZhongLis. Among them, Zhongli Mei was a general under Xiang Yu. After Xiang Yu was defeated by Liu Bang, Zhongli Mei committed Suicide. Mei's son, Jie, fled to Zhangge, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
, and changed his last name to Zhong. Zhong Jie can be considered as the forefather of the Zhong family.