The 梁 surname

Liang (梁) is one of the major surnames of Taishan. According to the genealogy given in Origins of Taishan's Surnames (《台山姓氏源流》), the Taishan Liang take Liang Shao (梁绍) of Zhuji Lane (珠玑巷) in Nanxiong (南雄) as their first ancestor in Guangdong; his descendants moved from place to place, settling in Xinhui (新会) and Kaiping (开平), and in the 79th generation Liang Shanwu (梁善五, courtesy name Legeng (乐耕)) and his second son Liang Shijie (梁世杰) moved from Hengling (横岭), Xinhui, to what is now Xikuo Village (西廓村), Duanfen Town (端芬镇) - the beginning of the Taishan Liang. According to the book, writing in the late 1990s, the Taishan Liang numbered more than ten thousand and were divided into four branches: Hengling, Xikuo, Longchi (龙池) and Maixiang (麦巷).^[1][2]

Origin of the surname[edit]

According to Origins of Taishan's Surnames, the Liang have several origins. Under King Ping of Zhou, Kang (康), son of Qin Zhong (秦仲), was enfeoffed at Mount Liang (梁山) in Xiayang (夏阳, around present-day Hancheng, Shaanxi), was called the Earl of Liang (梁伯), and founded the state of Liang; in the 11th year of King Xiang of Zhou (641 BCE) it was destroyed by Qin, and its surviving people took the name of the state as their surname. In the Spring and Autumn period the state of Jin had the places Xieliang (解梁), Gaoliang (高梁) and Quliang (曲梁), and some took their surname from these fiefs; in the Warring States period the state of Wei moved its capital to Daliang (大梁, present-day Kaifeng, Henan), Wei was also called Liang, and from it too came Liang families; and Ji Tang (姬唐), a son of King Ping of Zhou, was enfeoffed at Nanliang (南梁), and his descendants took Liang as their surname. All these lines honor Liang Kangbo (梁康伯) as the progenitor of the surname. The Liang's ancestral commandery is Anding Commandery (安定郡), and their hall name is “Anding Hall” (安定堂).^[2]

Coming to Taishan[edit]

Coming to Guangdong

The genealogy takes Liang Shao (courtesy name Jimei (继美)) of the 63rd generation as the first ancestor in Guangdong. Liang Shao passed the jinshi examination and served as tigan (提干) of Guangdong; he resigned his office because of his mother's illness, kept watch at her tomb after she died, and lived at Zhuji Lane in Nanxiong. His son Fumin (抚民) had six sons - Yongbao (永保), Yong'an (永安), Yongshou (永受), Yongding (永定), Yongchang (永昌) and Yongning (永宁) - who each started branch lines in various parts of Guangdong. Yongbao of the 65th generation moved from Zhuji Lane to Guangzhou, and then to Cangbu Lane (仓步巷) in ancient Gangzhou (古冈州, Xinhui).^[2]

Nanxi (南溪, taboo name Shaohong (绍洪)) of the 66th generation is buried together with his three wives, of the Wu (伍), Xu (许) and Zhao (赵) clans, at Nanxi Village (南溪村), Baixiangsi (白象寺), Taishan, and his descendants branched out to townships of Xinhui, Kaiping and Enping (恩平). The line of Nanxi's grandson Shaobalang (少八郎) moved to Chongyi Village (冲翼村), Kaiping, with Guoxuan (国选) of the 70th generation; Qianshan (迁善) of the 74th generation served as a counselor (canyi) under the Yuan, and Liang Yi (梁颐) of the 75th generation was director of studies (xuezheng) of Yazhou (崖州).^[2]

Founding Xikuo

Liang Shanwu (courtesy name Legeng) of the 79th generation and his second son Liang Shijie moved from Hengling, Xinhui (across the water from today's Gujing Town (古井镇), Xinhui), to Xikuo Village, Duanfen Town, Taishan; Legeng later went back to Hengling to end his days, and the clan honors him as its first ancestor in Taishan. Liang Shijie (taboo name Yingzuo (应佐)) of the 80th generation is the 2nd generation in Taishan; he had two sons, Yongtai (永泰) and Yongheng (永亨), and from then on his descendants multiplied in Taishan. The original book does not record the exact date they came.^[2]

Distribution[edit]

According to Origins of Taishan's Surnames (Volume 1), since the Liang came to Taishan they have reached the 100th and even the 101st generation and number more than ten thousand (a figure of the late 1990s), distributed by the four branches:^[2]

• Hengling branch: Jianlongli (见龙里), Mingfengli (鸣凤里), Chaofengli (朝凤里), Qiyangli (岐阳里), Liangbian (良边), Dakuang (大圹) in Sijiu Town (四九镇) and other places, with some in Xinhui, Jiangmen (江门), Kaiping, Zhongshan (中山) and elsewhere.
• Xikuo branch: the villages of Xikuo Xu (西廓圩), Xikuo Village, Longjiang (龙江), Napeng (那蓬), Xiangbu (香步), Shangdun (上墩), Zhongdun (中墩), Xiadun (下墩), Shimen (石门), Dage (大阁) and others, and scattered at Dongmen (东门) in Guanghai (广海), Shanjiaokeng (山蕉坑) in Nafu (那扶), Hebao (荷包) and Fengjiang (丰江) in Duhu (都斛), Ximenjie (西门街) in Taicheng (台城), Haiyan (海宴), Wencun (汶村), the villages of Shangchuan (上川), Xikeng (西坑) on Xiachuandao (下川岛) and elsewhere.
• Longchi branch: Longchixin Village (龙池新村), Longchijiu Village (龙池旧村), Dongchao (洞潮), Dadui (大堆), Niushan (牛山), Xizha (西栅), Hengjiangdonghuali (横江东华里), Tajiao (塔脚) in Taicheng, Longjiangli (龙江里) in Chixi (赤溪), Baishi (白石) in Duhu and other places.
• Maixiang branch: Maixiangjiu Village (麦巷旧村), Qujiang (曲江), Zhengmian (正面), Guan'ai (官爱), Ciqian (祠前), Long'an (龙安), Panlong (蟠龙), Zhonghe (中和), Yinjiang (银江), Jiangchao (江潮), Nanchang (南昌) at Nanmen (南门), Taicheng, and other places.

People[edit]

• Liang Chaojie (梁朝杰, 1877-1958), courtesy name Bojun (伯隽), art name Wenfu (文夫). At fourteen he entered Kang Youwei's Wanmu Caotang (万木草堂) to study; at sixteen he passed as xiucai and at seventeen as juren, and he belonged to the Reformist camp. After the Wuxu coup (戊戌政变) he returned home to teach, lecturing in turn at the Dihai (荻海), Ningyang (宁阳) and Guanghai academies, and also taught history at the Guangzhou Junior Normal School. He later went to the United States, where for more than forty years he was editor-in-chief of the World Journal (《世界日报》), run by the overseas Chinese of San Francisco; he also founded the Wentong Ten-Day Journal (《文通旬报》), and his writings include Collected Works of the Chuyun Studio (《出云馆集》) and A Hundred Poems on Plum Blossoms (《梅花百咏》). The original book says he went to America in 1894, which does not fit its account of his teaching at home after the Wuxu year (1898); this is open to question.^[2]