Explanation of the Chen Clan Totem

Chen (陈) — its original meaning is to display or to arrange.

The character 陈 is composed of 阜 and 东.

• 阜 represents an earthen hill or mound.

• 东 depicts the sun rising among trees.

Origin

At the end of the Shang Dynasty, Efu (遏父), the 33rd‑generation descendant of Emperor Shun, joined the Zhou state and served as the Pottery Officer. His exceptional pottery craftsmanship won the admiration of King Wen (Ji Chang) and King Wu (Ji Fa).

After King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang and established the Zhou Dynasty, he honored loyal descendants of ancient sages. He enfeoffed Efu’s son Gui Man (妫满) in the state of Chen (located in today’s Huaiyang, Henan). Gui Man was tasked with continuing the ancestral rites of Emperor Shun. King Wu also married his eldest daughter, Lady Tai Ji (太姬), to Gui Man.

After Gui Man’s death, he was given the posthumous title Duke Hu (胡公), hence he is also known as Hu Gong Man.

The State of Chen lasted 588 years until it was conquered by the State of Chu in 479 BCE.

The descendants of the former Chen state adopted Chen as their surname.

Ancestral Founder of the Surname

Hu Gong Man (胡公满)

Ancestral Homeland

Huaiyang, Henan

Prominent Clans / Halls

• Yingchuan and Guangling (major historical regions associated with the Chen clan)

• San Ke Hall, Dexing Hall

Modern Ranking / Population

• 5th most common surname in China

• Approximately 61.3 million people

Ranking in the Song Dynasty’s Hundred Family Surnames

• 30th

Existing Genealogies

• 3,100 volumes preserved today