Founding Settlers of the Tan² Clan

Tan¹, Tan², Xu³ and Xie⁴ Clans of Guangdong Province

The Chew Lun Clans
Tom, Hom, Huey and Tse trace their Lineage Back to 400BC

Between 400BC and 1949AD is a long time as we reckon time. But, historically, that is how long the genealogy of the Tom, Hom, Huey and Tse clans who form the Chew Lun alliance goes back, according to traditions.

Traditionally, the Tom, Hom, Huey and Tse four-family alliance dates back to the time of Chiang Tai Kung (1210-1120BC), one of the most celebrated generals in Chinese history and worshipped even today in China as a god who protects homes and shops. He was a prime minister under King Wu of the great Chou dynasty.

One of Chiang Tai Kung's descendants was a youth named Wei, who lived in the turbulent era of the "Warring States" (403-221BC). Because he was considered an enemy of the particular state in which he lived, he was forced to flee for his life in order to escape massacre of his entire clan, a cruel custom of the time, similar to the Hitler pogroms of Nazi Germany.

Living in another state, Wei was later adopted by a Yuen family. In time, this descendant of Chiang Tai Kung married and became the father of four sons.

As they were living in the times of political strife, Wei was afraid to bequeath his clan name to his progeny. He therefore only gave them first names, which were Tom, Hom, Huey and Tse.

When these sons grew up the father cautioned them about revealing their real clan name, but always come to the aid of each other. Later, these sons took their first names as family names, but always remembered their father's injunction to help each other.

The Chew Lun four-family alliance came about many centuries later to reunite the descendants of the sons of Wei, who started out as blood brothers. The Tom, Hom, Huey and Tse families scattered throughout the Chinese empire in the last two thousand years. A thousand years ago their first members began to come into Kwangtung province. And a hundred years ago a few of the Chew Lun brethren showed up in the California gold rush era.

Today there are said to be some 6,000 Chinese-Americans of the Tom, Hom, Huey and Tse clans in these United States. They have come a long way since the celebrated Chiang Tai Kung.

Tan² Lineage of Pak Sui District

Toi-Shan Tom Kwong Yu Association
Introduction

As a country has its history, and a county has its records, the family clan has its own genealogy. Genealogy is a chronicle of a clan's family tree. Men have always revered and remembered their parents and ancestors. As descendants have multiplied and prospered, they should not forget their roots.

Records show that the Tom clan dates back as far as the Five Kingdom Dynasty (581-618AD). Originally, four branches of the clan came to the Province of Kwangtung. They settled at (1) Tung-far , (2) Lung-moon, (3) Chee-hing, and (4) Yun-far.

Our ancestor, Tom Bok Chong, son of Hong Yung, was a high official in the Sung Court. While he was on a military expedition in the south, he was captivated with the beautiful scenery of Yun-far. Furthermore, his uncle, Hung Yown, an official, had already settled in Kwangtung. After the completion of his expedition, Bok Chong returned home. Subsequently, he decided to move. First, he settled in Nom-hung, Bow-chong District, Gee-gay Alley, Sar-suey Village. Bok Chong honored his grandfather by designating him as the first of our clan to enter Kwangtung. Descendants prospered and multiplied.

Eleven generations later, Tom Yuen Lung, a silk merchant, moved from Canton to Sunwei District, Goo-gong Section, Lung-hong-chee. Towards the end of the Yuen Dynasty (1271-1368AD), law and order were breaking down and bandits roamed the land. In order to get away from oppressive warlords and neighbours, a twelfth generation descendent, Tom Hien Lin, in 1393AD, resettled his family at Ng-mar-kwei-toa and Kin-hung west of Sunning County, which is now known as Taishan City.

Later on, Suen Yung's, also known as Mo Ling, descendants migrated to places such as Kwong-hoi, Hoi-yin, Wang-woo, Fung-wo-li, Chung-lau, and Woon-bin. The descendants in these areas are numbered in the tens of thousands. According to records, many of the descendants have achieved fame and fortune in the mainland and overseas. All descendants of this Tom Clan should be recorded as reference for future generations.

Genealogy is like a tree with its roots and branches. The compiling of a genealogy serves to strengthen the bonds of a clan and provides an orderly record of the descendants.

Our Taishan Tom's genealogy dates far back in time. Our forebears had managed to update the records every five generations. However, because of political turmoil in the homeland, many clansmen have immigrated abroad. They have adopted the religions and cultures of their new homes. Younger generations are slowly forgetting their roots.

To commemorate the virtuous contributions of our forefathers, we are planning to update out own genealogy records. This proposal has the encouragement of our family elders. A drive has been initiated to collect data from Tom families in every city to compile the "Genealogy of the Toi-Shan Tom Kwong Yu Family."

Your cooperation is appreciated.

Note: Hom, Hum, Tam, Taam and Tan are some of the better other known phonetic spellings for Tom depending on dialect used and translation by interpreters.

Translated by: Eddy Tom.