The Study Of The Congshi Family Of Wendeng In Shandong

The surname Cong, (丛) in Chinese character, ranks 127th among all the family names in modern China. Based on a rudimentary knowledge, it is estimated that now there are over 400,000 people with Cong as family name, accounting for about 0.1% of all the population of the Han ethnic group. Densely populated, they are widely distributed in more than 140 counties and municipalities of mainland China and other regions such as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. In addition, their descendant can be seen in other countries such as Japan, North Korea, Thailand, Singapore, India, Burma, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia, America, Mexico, Brazil, Canada and Australia, etc. By now , the Cong lived in Wendeng has already over 40,000,distributing in more than 50 vilages, which occupys 6.25% of the population in Wendeng.For a long time, the historians have left no special treatises on the study of the Cong clan originating from Wendeng. Having consulted a large quantity of original materials, including the official history, diaries, anthology, local chronicles and Nian pu (annual records), the author, in order to trace the history of its development, has called on the regions where the Wendeng Cong clan are densely inhabited, and paid a visit to the ancestral hall of the Cong family. By the discussion from the perspective of the Cong family's origin, its rise and fall as well as its distinguished figures in history, some textual research are made that " all the Cong clans originated in Wendeng" and " the surname Cong (丛) shares the same root with another surname Cong (丛) in origin".This paper consists of four parts. The first part discusses whether the saying that "All the Cong clans originated in Wendeng" is well grounded, introduces the source region and ancestors of the Cong family, its lineage list as well as some information about their migration, and demonstrates the originating time of the Cong family and the causes for the change of this surname. The second part puts emphasis on the prosperity of the Wendeng Cong clan during the period of Jin and Yuan dynasties and its influences. It does not only introduce the good situation of the officials who are the descendant of the Cong family at that time and the impact on the whole family after the changes of the dynasties, but also analyzes a branch of the descendant of Cong Deyou, the first generation of the Wendeng Cong family, textual researches are mentioned that " the surname Cong (丛) shares the same root with another surname Cong (丛) (in Hui ethnic group) in origin". The third part gives an introduction of the renowned figures of the Wendeng Cong family in history, mainly including Cong Lan, the minister of the Nanjing Labor Ministry in Ming dynasty; Cong Linzhou, the chieftain of the Wendeng Cong clan in Qing dynasty; Cong Hesheng, the educator; the ten martyrs of the Cong family in the Revolution of 1911. The fourth part focuses on the family culture of the Wendeng Cong clan, including its ancestral hall, articles of sacrifice, ancestral graves, textual research on the 20-Chinese character about the position in the family hierarchy among various generations (二十字辈份考) as well as excellent sentences in books or poems written by people with the surname Cong.In conclusion, having gone through the ups and downs of the time, the Wendeng Cong clan still habitats around Wendeng and keeps a strong momentum of development as one of the notable families in the area of Yi. Reflecting on the past in the light of the present, making clear its origin and migration situation, and tracing its development will doubtlessly bring about positive effects on promoting the understanding of history, the love towards hometown and motherland, and effective communication between people both at home and abroad.