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Ren: old name with a proud tradition
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THERE are an estimated 4.2 million people surnamed Ren in China, accounting for about 0.34 percent of the population. It ranks the 59th most popular Chinese surname.
There are generally three sources of Ren as a family name. Many scholars believe that it can be regarded as one of the 12 oldest surnames in China, which the Yellow Emperor (2698-2598 BC) gave to 14 of his children. But some scholars believe that Ren as a surname is even older.
Ren Buqi, a disciple of Confucius, is more widely acknowledged as the ancestor of the Ren families.
Ren can also be associated with the family name of a matriarchal group in ancient China – 妊 (Ren, the same pronunciation as 任), meaning pregnancy. The surname 妊 was later replaced by 任 due to the end of matriarchy.
The third source of Ren is believed to come from the surname Feng. Records show that there were many residents named Ren in a small kingdom around Jining in Shandong Province with Feng as the royal family name.
Today, 11 percent of Ren are in Henan Province, making it No. 1 in the country. There have been many famous Rens in China over the centuries.
Ren Tang, a famous hermit during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), is one of the best-known. When Pang Can, the new governor of Tianshui in Gansu Province came into office, he visited several prominent people including Ren. Instead of warmly welcoming him, Ren pulled up a bunch of weeds, fetched a basin of clear water and knelt down in the hall. Pang got the message — he was being exhorted to crack down on bullies like the weeds, keep as incorruptible as the clear water and care for his people.
Other famous Rens include Ren Bi and Ren Xiao, both offspringsof Ren Buqi and warriors in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), and Ren Bishi, a major leader of the early Chinese Communist Party.
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