Explanation of the Yang Clan Totem

Meaning

Yang (杨) carries the meaning of sun or sunlight.

The character 杨 is composed of 木 (wood) and 易.

• 木 refers to the fusang tree, a sacred mythical tree said to grow in the Tang Valley (also called the Sun Valley) in the eastern sea.

• 易 conveys the idea of “the sun rising from the Tang Valley.”

Origin

The Yang surname originates from the Ji (姬) clan and has two main sources:

The State of Yang (杨国)  

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, Shangfu, the youngest son of King Xuan of Zhou (Ji Jing), was enfeoffed in Yang (modern-day Hongtong, Shanxi) during the reign of King You. He established the State of Yang.

1. In the Spring and Autumn period, Yang was annexed by the State of Jin. The descendants of the Yang rulers adopted Yang as their surname.

The Yangshe (羊舌) Lineage  

Tu, grandson of Duke Wu of Jin (of the Ji clan), was granted the fief of Yangshe and became known as the Yangshe Dafu. His descendants took the fief name as their surname, becoming the Yangshe clan.

2. After Jin conquered the State of Yang, the former Yang territory was granted to Yangshe Xi, grandson of Tu, courtesy name Shuxiang. He served as a high minister of Jin and was renowned for his virtue. His descendants later adopted the new fief name as their surname.

Ancestral Founders of the Surname

Yang Boqiao and Yang Mao

Ancestral Homeland

Hongtong, Shanxi

Prominent Clans / Halls

• Hongnong, Tianshui, Henei

• Guanxi Hall

Modern Ranking / Population

• 6th most common surname in China

• Approximately 42.7 million people

Ranking in the Song Dynasty’s Hundred Family Surnames

• 16th

Existing Genealogies

• 1,300 volumes preserved today