Interpretation of the Yuan Clan Totem 

[Definition] The original meaning of "Yuan" (袁) is a long robe. In ancient times, "Yuan" (袁) and "Yuan" (爰) were interchangeable. In Oracle Bone Script, the character "Yuan" (爰) depicts two hands pulling or leading each other. This carries extended meanings such as relaxation, citation/assistance, or replacement.

[Origin] In the early Western Zhou Dynasty, King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed Gui Man (a descendant of Emperor Shun) in Chen (present-day Huaiyang, Henan), establishing the State of Chen. Gui Man’s 11th-generation descendant, Zhu (styled Bo Yuan), had a grandson named Tao Tu. Due to his merits, Tao Tu was granted the fief of Yangxia (present-day Taikang, Henan) and adopted his grandfather’s style name as his surname, becoming the Yuan (爰) clan. During the Spring and Autumn period, the Yuan clan held the hereditary position of High Minister in the State of Chen. At that time, 爰 and 轅 were used interchangeably, so Yuan Tao Tu was also recorded as "Yuan (轅) Tao Tu." His great-great-grandson, Yuan Po, moved to the State of Zheng. By the end of the Qin Dynasty, a descendant named Yuan Gao lived between the Yellow and Luo Rivers to escape turmoil. At the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, Gao’s younger son, Yuan Zheng, removed the "Che" (車 - carriage) radical from his surname, establishing the modern "Yuan" (袁) clan.

• Ancestral Founders: Yuan Tao Tu, Yuan Zheng

• Ancestral Homeland: Taikang, Henan

• Prefectural Seats (Junwang) and Hall Names: Ru'nan, Chenjun; Shouzheng Hall, Woxue Hall

• Current Ranking / Population: 38th / Approx. 6.67 million

• Song Dynasty "Hundred Family Surnames" Rank: 59th

• Extant Genealogical Records: 305 volumes