Interpretation of the Han Clan Totem 

[Definition] The original form of the character "Han" (韓) is composed of "Gan" (倝) and "Wei" (韋). "Gan" is an ideogram describing the brilliant radiance of the rising sun. The original meaning of "Wei" is tanned leather used for binding. In ancient times, "Han" was also interchangeable with "Han" (函), referring to the protective railing surrounding a water well.

[Origin] Ji Wan, an 11th-generation descendant of Ji Shuyu (the founding monarch of the State of Jin during the Western Zhou), was granted the fief of Han (present-day Hejin, Shanxi) for his sustenance. Three generations later, his descendant Han Jue adopted the name of the fief as his surname. In the early Warring States period, Han Qian (Marquis Jing of Han), a 7th-generation descendant of Han Jue, partitioned the State of Jin alongside the Zhao and Wei clans to establish the State of Han, one of the "Seven Hero States." Its initial capital was Pingyang. In 375 BC, after Marquis Ai of Han conquered the State of Zheng, the capital was moved to Xinzheng. In 230 BC, the State of Han was conquered by the State of Qin, and its descendants adopted the name of their fallen state as their surname.

• Ancestral Homeland: Xinzheng, Henan; Hejin, Shanxi

• Prefectural Seats (Junwang) and Hall Names: Nanyang, Yingchuan; Changli Hall

• Current Ranking / Population: 29th / Approx. 8.15 million

• Song Dynasty "Hundred Family Surnames" Rank: 15th

• Extant Genealogical Records: 162 volumes