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Zhang Family Name
Meaning	bow that grows, bowmaker
Popularity	Behind the Name
Wikipedia articles	All pages beginning with Zhang

Zhang (simplified Chinese: 张; traditional Chinese: 張; pinyin: Zhāng) is among the most common Chinese surnames. In the 1990 edition of Guinness Book of Records, it was listed as the world's most common surname, with over 100 million people worldwide with this surname. It was also ranked third in the People's Republic of China by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in early 2006. [1]. The use of this surname dates back to about 4,700 years ago.^{[citation needed]}

Zhang is pronounced and transliterated in a variety of ways. In Mandarin Chinese it is Pinyin: Zhāng, Wade-Giles: Chang, Tongyong Pinyin: Jhāng. In Cantonese it is Yale: Jèung, Jyutping: Zoeng1, Hong Kong Government: Cheung. In Minnan, it is Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tiuⁿ, in Southeast Asia where a variety of dialects are spoken: Teo or Teoh in the Minnan/Teochew dialects, Chong in Hakka, Cheong in Cantonese and many other spellings based on the Romanisation of the Chinese dialects used. The corresponding Korean surname is 장 which is frequently transliterated as Jang or Chang. Some confusion arises with the surnames Zhuang (莊) and Jiang (蔣) that are also written as 장 in Korean, and which are also frequently transliterated as Jang or Chang. The corresponding Vietnamese version is Trương.

Another Zhang, 章, is a less common surname which also has the same pronunciation of Zhāng in Mandarin, Cheung in Cantonese, and Jang in Korean. However, this name is pronounced differently in Minnan (Chiong) than Tiuⁿ (張). Likewise, the Vietnamese can clearly distinguish this name, pronounced Chương, from Trương (張).

Contents 1 Character analysis 2 History of the surname (張) 3 Prominent people with Chinese family name 張/张 3.1 Entertainment 3.2 Literature, writing, journalism 3.3 Sports 3.4 Government, military 3.5 Others 4 Prominent people with Chinese family name 章 5 Prominent people with Korean family name 장 (張/章) 6 Prominent people with Vietnamese family name Trương (張) 7 Others 8 See also

The character (張) comprises 弓 (gōng -- a bow used in warfare) and 长 (cháng or zhǎng -- "length" "long" or "to grow," though it is probably the latter that contributes to the notion of an expanding bow). Appropriately, the ancient form of this character uses 巨 (jù -- huge, towering) in place of 长, thereby suggesting an even more concrete idea; this form is considered today to be that of an ancient variant which has since faded from everyday usage. Zhāng's literal translation is "to open forth", or "to spread", although its common use is a measure word for (relatively) flat objects such as paper and mattresses.

The origin of the surname Zhang is legendary. The fifth son of Huāng Dì (Emperor), the legendary supreme ancestor of all Han Chinese, was Qīng Yáng Shì (青阳氏). Qīng Yáng Shì's son Huī (挥) was inspired by the Chinese Arc Constellation -- Tiān Gōng Xīng (天弓星) in the sky and invented the bow. Later Hui was assigned as Gōng Zhèng (弓正), the minister in charge of observing the Arc Constellation and making bows. Then Hui and his descendants were bestowed the surname Zhang, which, if broken into its constituent radicals, would mean "the master of bows" in Chinese. It is believed that the ancestors of Zhang's were archers and the bow as a totem of their tribe.^{[citation needed]}

Zhang had also been a surname by which Manchus and Mongolians chose to sinicize their names since the beginning of the Republic (1912).^{[citation needed]}

• Chang, Fei, Taiwanese talk-show host, more commonly known as Fei Ge
• Chang, Hui Mei, Taiwanese singer/ Tribal Princess
• Chang, Jeff, Taiwanese singer
• Chang, Phil, Taiwanese singer-songwriter and TV presenter
• Chang Yu-Sheng (1966 – 1997), Taiwanese singer and producer
• Chang Chen-yue, Taiwanese rock musician
• Cheung, Cecilia, actress and singer from Hong Kong
• Cheung, Jacky, actor and singer
• Cheung, Leslie (1956 – 2003), actor and singer
• Cheung, Maggie or Zhang Man Yu (born 1964), actress
• Cheung Tak Lan, singer
• Teoh Lai-Poh, Arianna, Miss Malaysia, 1997
• Teoh, Lina, Miss Malaysia, 1998
• Zhang Liyin, Chinese singer but a Korean artist. Part of SM Entertainment.
• Zhang Yang, Chinese film director
• Zhang Yimou (born 1950), Chinese film director

• Chang, Iris (1968 – 2004), American writer
• Chang, Jung or Zhang Rong (born 1952), author of Wild Swans
• Zhang Ailing or Eileen Chang (1920 – 1995), female romantic story writer
• Zhang Chengzhi (born 1948), writer
• Zhang Dai (1597 – 1689) Ming dynasty essayist, historian.
• Zhang Xiguo or Chang Hsi-kuo (born 1944), Taiwanese science fiction author

• Chang, Michael (born 1972), tennis player
• Zhang Dan (born 1985) and Zhang Hao (born 1984), figure skaters. Won silver in Pairs and at the 2006 Winter Olympics
• Zhang Juanjuan, athlete
• Zhang Liangliang, Olympian, foil fencer
• Zhang Ning (born 1975), badminton player
• Zhang Yuning (born 1977), footballer aka Chinese David Beckham
• Caroline Zhang, figure skater

• Teo Chee Hean, Singaporean Defence Minister
• Zhang Aiping, Communist Party of China general
• Zhang Chunqiao (1917 – 2005), member of the Gang of Four
• Zhang Fei (167 – 221), military leader in the period of Three Kingdoms
• Zhang Liang, aide of Liu Bang. His ancestors were the ministers of State of Han
• Zhang Liao, general of Wei during Three Kingdoms period
• Zhang Tingyu (1672 – 1755), Qing Dynasty politician
• Zhang Tian Australian politician, Acting Member for Moreton and former Transport Minister
• Zhang Xueliang or Chang Hsüeh-liang (1901 – 2001), Manchurian warlord
• Zhang Yang, northern warlord Three Kingdoms Period
• Zhang Yi (died 309 B.C.), strategist during the Warring States Period
• Zhang Yi, military general of the Kingdom of Shu during the period of Three Kingdoms.
• Zhang Zhidong, Late-Qing Dynasty politician
• Zhang Zizhong, military leader
• Zhang Zongchang, (1881 – 1932), warlord in Shandong
• Zhang Zuolin or Chang Tso-lin (1873 – 1928), Manchurian warlord, Zhang Xueliang's father

• Chang, Victor, surgeon
• Zhang, Dong-Yue "Cecilia", kidnapping and murder victim
• Zhang Guo Lao, one of the Eight Immortals
• Zhang Wen Bin, one of the phenomenon figure in Borneo 1889-1956
• Zhang Hanyun, Super Girl
• Zhang Heng or Chang Heng (78 – 139), astronomer and mathematician
• Zhang Hongbao (1954 – 2006), businessman and founder of Zhong Gong
• Zhang Qian or Chang Ch'ien (†113 B.C.), spent 12 years starting in 138 BC exploring much of Central Asia for Emperor Han Wu Di
• Zhang Sanfeng or Chang San-Feng, semi-mythical Taoist master
• Zhang Yang UMIST senior lecturer

• Chang, John H., Taiwanese politician
• Zhang Binglin, Phonologist
• Zhang Zhong (born 1978), Chess player
• Zhang Jun (born 1977), Badminton player
• Zhang Ziyi (born 1979), Actress

Main article: Jang (Korean name)

• Truong My Hoa, Vice President of Viet Nam
• Truong Dinh Tuyen, Min. of Trade of Viet Nam
• Truong Vinh Trong, Viet Nam Dep. Prime Min.
• Truong Van Cam-better known as Nam Cam, a famous Vietnamese gangster and former soldier

• Chang, Cho, fictitious character in the Harry Potter novels
• P.F. Chang's China Bistro, a United States restaurant chain

• List of common Chinese surnames
• Korean names