Meaning: The surname 弘 originates from the Spring and Autumn Period. It is derived from the Jiang clan, descendants of the Gong族 of the State of Qi. A minister named Hong Yan was granted the fief of Hongyi (present-day Lingbao, Henan) for his merits, and his descendants adopted the place name as their surname, thus forming the Hong clan.
Hongxian (弘宪)
an official of the Western Han Dynasty, served as the Commandant of Yangzhou and the Duke of Danyang.
Hong Xun (弘勋)
a military general during the Eastern Han Dynasty, who served as Chief of Staff and Colonel of the Campaign Against Barbarians, and was ennobled as Marquis of Wuyang for his merits.
Hongren (弘忍)
A prominent Buddhist monk of the Tang Dynasty, the Fifth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, whose disciples Huineng and Shenxiu founded the Southern and Northern schools of Chan.
The surname 弘 traces back to ancient Chinese nobility and symbolizes vastness or breadth. It’s a rare yet historically significant name linked to the State of Qi.