Chinese surname N0.385 ZENG
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan
All rights reserved.
Chinese surname No.385 Zeng
Zeng means: has ben already; great grand (father).
Surname Zeng is about 2500 years old.
The ancient character of Zeng was written as
present day Zeng + a big ear on the right (Yi4 = city).
In 2118BC Shao3 Kang became the King of Xia4 Dynasty. He
delegated one of his sons called Qu Lie2 to rule a district
called Zeng (written as present day Zeng + a big ear on the right
equivalent to Yi4 which meant city, in present day Lin2 Yi2
Xian4 in Shandong
province). He was known as Zeng Si4 because Si4 was the family
surnames of all the rulers during the Xia4 Dynasty. Later district Zeng
was upgraded to the Statehood. It was known as the State of Zeng.
During the Spring and Autumn Period (722BC to 481BC) in 641BC the
leader of Zeng while on the way to pay an official visit to the State of
Cao2 (present day Ding4 Tao2 Xian4 in Shandong province) was
imprisoned by Xiang Gong the ruler of Song4 (present day Shang Qiu city
in Henan province). Later Xiang Gong of Song4 killed the leader of Zeng
and used his blood as sacrifice to the River God in Sui Shui3 River
in Henan province.
The reasons behind the killing was not recorded in history.
Again in 591BC another ruler of Zeng was killed by the State of Zhu
(present day Qiu Xian4 in Shandong province).
There was a struggle for the rulership among the royal members of the
Zeng Court. Factions were formed and Zeng was in turmoil.
The dispute continued and Zeng was without a ruler. In 567BC seeing
Zeng was in a mess, a State called Ju3 (present day Ju3 Xian4 in
Shandong province) took the opportunity and conquered and annexed it.
State of Zeng ceased to exist.
Some of the royal members of the Zeng Court fled to the State of
Lu2 (present day Qu Fu4 in Shandong province). One of them called Wu
became a Qing (a high official) in the Lu2 Court.
He surnamed his children ZENG in remembrance of his extinct State.
He deleted the big ear on the right side of the character Zeng .
He reckoned that since his beloved State of Zeng had ceased to exist
surname Zeng should be written without the big ear on the right
(big ear is pronounced as Yi4 which means city).
Hence present day Zeng is written without a big ear on the right.
Surname Zeng was originated in an area which was called the
Lu2 Prefecture during the Jin4 Dynasty (265AD to 420AD).
The present day location of Lu2 Prefecture
is in Qu Fu4 Xian4 in Shandong province, China.
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan. chu...@mozart.collective.com.au
Wuchun Wu
In <5dtrl2$7...@opera.iinet.net.au> chu...@collective.com.au (CHUNG Yoon-Ngan) writes:
Hey, long time no see. It is great to see you back. Hope the problem of
stealing you stories is solved. wuwu