Surname Overview
Population and Rank
According to data from the Ministry of Public Security’s Household Administration Research Center in January 2019, about 95.4 million people had the surname Zhang, ranking third among Chinese surnames.
Zhang Surname
Population: records and reference year under further studyZhang / Chang
Origins
Origin in the Bow Office
According to Yuanhe Xingzuan, Hui, the fifth son of Shaohao Qingyang of the Yellow Emperor’s descendants, served as Bow Officer, and his descendants were given the surname Zhang for their contributions to making bows and arrows.
Historical Records
Historical and Cultural Figures
The Zhongguo Renming Da Cidian lists 1,741 historical and cultural figures with the surname Zhang, including Zhang Liang, Zhang Yi, Zhang Liao, Zhang Fei, and Zhang Xu.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
The Tianshi Mansion Lineage
Tianshi Dao later became known as Zhengyi Dao and stands alongside Quanzhen Dao as one of the two major Taoist schools; the Tianshi Mansion has continued for 65 generations.
Notable People
Zhang Daoling and Tianshi Dao
During the Eastern Han period, Zhang Daoling, the seventh-generation descendant of Zhang Liang, founded Tianshi Dao; according to tradition, in 142 CE Laozi granted him the Way of Zhengyi Mengwei.
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Surname attestation references
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