2. Origins

China and the Evolution of the Dong Clan

China and Chinese culture dates back over 4000 years. China was among the most advanced cultures in the world, developing sophisticated technology as well as highly evolved religious and social institutions. However, China was not immune from social and political upheaval. The collapse of the Han Dynasty in 220 AD led to a nearly 400 year period characterized by civil war and the rule of warlords, initiating the era of the Three Kingdoms (Wei, Shu (Han), Wu) 221 – 265 AD.

During this period of political instability, weaker dukedoms formed alliances through pacts or blood brother bindings in common defense against the more powerful dukedoms. In Henan, the dukedoms of Dong (鄧), Yep, Sam, and Buck united under such a blood brother alliance. Consequently, people living under each dukedom and their descendents assumed their lord’s name, and thus the surname Dong was born.

A thousand years later, China found herself subject to foreign invasion by the Mongols. Led by Kublai Khan (1215-1294), grandson of Ghengis Khan, the Mongols overthrew the ruling Song Dynasty (420 – 479 AD) leading to the first alien rule of China by the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368 AD). To avoid Mongolian subjugation, the Dongs moved south in a mass migration to Hunan Province. Eventually our branch of the Dong clan settled further south in Guangdong Province in the Pearl River Delta at the confluence of the North River with the East and West rivers. These three rivers collectively make up the Pearl River.

Migration of the Dong Clan from Henan to Hunan and finally to Guangdong province (figure adapted from wikipedia.org).

Links:
Overview of Chinese history
List of common Chinese surnames