A Concise History of Lung Kong and
the Genealogical Origin of the Four Families
One of the most stirring periods of the Chinese people - a time of brave men, brutal
warfare and court intrigue-woven in the tapestry of Chinese history as the era of the
Three Kingdoms, is preserved for posterity in the Lung Kong Associations.
Lung Kong is a cofraternity of the members of the Four Families of the surnames of Lew,
Quan, Chang and Chew. Among the Chinese people this tale, told countless thousands upon
thousands of times, is a series of historic facts of four men whose spirit, sense of
sacrifice for the people and their bravery made them bigger than life, and therefore
legendary.
The legend began nearly two thousand years ago, in the era of the Three Kingdoms
(220-280 A.D). The reign of Emperor Sien, the Eastern Han Dynasty, was in chaos.
Disobedience, lawlessness and cunning plots of myriad warlords made for suffering
by the common people. Three patriots, namely Lew Pei (Yuen Tak) an uncle of the Emperor,
Quan Yu (Yuen Cheung) and Chang Fei (Yee Tak) met at the latter's mansion, in the peach
garden. They made a vow to be adopted, or blood brothers. To dedicate their lives
together to achieve their goals. To help the country and the people.
Symbolically to the Chinese peach blossoms signify longevity. Their vows are carved in
the longevity of history as "The cofraternity at the Peach Garden."
Later the trio joined with Chew Yuen (Tse Lung) at Kucheng, the Old City, and finalized
the fraternity and origins of the famous Four Families of Lew, Quan, Chang and Chew.
Lung Kong Temple
Throughout the seventeen centuries following their rites as blood brothers, the fame
and good deeds of the Four Families heroes became part of Chines historic legend.
In the early period of the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 A.D.) the principles of the Four
Families were challenged again in an incident which resulted in the now official
designation of the Lung Kong Associations. A Lew family at the village called Chiao
Boh, Dan Shui Mountain area of Hoi Ping, province of Kwangtung owned a piece of land
shaped in the contours of a dragon. A hill rose in the middle of this area. It resembled
the head of a dragon pointed toward heaven. This phenomenon was interpreted as being
caused by a supernatural force, and therefore, auspicious. Naturally, the hill was
called Lung Kong, or the Dragon Hill.
At that time, the Lew family was weak, and its powerful neighbors coveted the area of
the auspicious Dragon Hill. The Lew family solicited the help of the members of the
Four Families to build a temple on the top of the Hill. Here statues of the four legendary
heroes Lew Pei (Emperor Chew Lit), Quan Yu (Marquis Han Shou Ting), Chang Fei
(Marquis Woon), Chew Yuen (Marquis Shun Ping) and of Kung Ming were consecrated and
worshipped.
This event took place in the year 1661, the first year of Emperor Kang Hsi's reign.
The sacred edifice was called Lung Kong Old Temple. This consecrated Four Families
action saved Dragon Hill from the greedy powerful neighbors.
A Beginning in America
From China, one of the oldest civilizations, beginning 1848 there came to young America
an outpouring of Chinese who sought to better their personal fortunes, as men everywhere
seek to do. Their first port of entry was San Francisco, which eventually became the
capital city of Chinese America. The Gold Rush and then the building of the
transcontinental railroad swelled the Chinese population. By 1851 with a Chinese
population of 12,000 in the city, a need was felt for some type of social organization
for mutual help and protection, and thus was born the first formal Chinese association.
A few years later, the elders of the Four Families erected a Lung Kong Temple at Brooklyn
Alley, off Sacramento Street, traditionally known by the Chinese themselves as The Street
of the Men of Tang. This was the year 1876 during the reign of Emperor Kwong Shui.
Spiritually it duplicated the original Dragon Hill temple, for here too were consecrated
statues of the Four Ancestors of the Four Families.
While serving the ritual and spiritual need of the members of the Four Families, the Lung
Kong temple in the United States functioned as a fraternal organization. As did the
others already created by other groups, Lung Kong fulfilled the social welfare needs of
its people. From this period through World War II, the Chinese in America were subject
to highly unreasonable legal restrictions, social pressures, an absence of civil rights
and unequal employment opportunities. In the oppressive atmosphere of those times they
had to turn to themselves. They had to care for themselves. These conditions fostered
the social structures of the family associations. The district associations. These
association, like the Four Families, cared for their own sick, fed and housed their own
unfortunate, buried their own dead.
Mutual Aid
They banded to fight discriminatory legislation against the Chinese. They arbitrated in
legal questions. All of these organization, in spirit and practice, were akin to the
pattern of the Four Families blood brothers in helping each other and the Chinese people.
The great San Francisco fire and earthquake of 1906 destroyed all of Chinatown, including
the Lung Kong Temple at Brooklyn Place. New planning ordinances banned another one there.
With the growing need for social welfare, the elders canvassed for funds to buy land for
a building larger and taller than a temple edifice, to house the needs for living quarters
and social halls. In 1910, the new Lung Kong Kung Shaw (meaning Public Edifice) was
dedicated at 1034 Stockton Street. In 925, the larger building at 924 Grant Avenue was
completed to meet expanding needs, and named the Ming Yee Low.
In 1928 when the first American Lung Kong conference was held in Los Angeles, it was
resolved that the Lung Kong Kung Shaw and Tien Yee Kung Shaw be merged as the Lung Kong
Tien Yee Kung Shaw. Thus the American territorial organization of Lung Kong Tien Yee
Kung Shaw Headquarters was created.
After the 1880-90 peak periods of immigration to America, Chinese fanned out to all parts
of the Unites States from San Francisco, particularly congregating in urban centers.
With this population expansion, members of the Four Families followed suit, and to meet
the social need in the new areas, more Lung Kong, Mok Tien and Ming Yee chapters were
established. New York established as early as 1888. Portland and Seattle in 1890.
Honolulu in 1919. Oakland in 1920 and Memphis in 1923.
In Canada, the Mok Tien Kung Shaw was established in Victoria in 1900. It was reorganized
and renamed Lung Kong Tien Yee Kung Shaw in 1902. The Kung Shaw in Vancouver was founded
in 1923. Toronto in 1912 and Montreal in 1927.
In the Central and South America areas, chapter were founded in Cuba and Peru in 1900 and
Mexico in 1924.
First in Asia
The very first Lung Kong association was founded not in America, but Asia, due to the
preponderance of Chinese immigrants and proximity of Singapore in China. There the
Kucheng (Goo Shing) Association was organized in 1873. In the Philippines the Four
Families Association, predecessor to Lung Kong, was founded in 1885.
In 1948, delegated from Cuba, Mexico, Canada and the United States gathered in New York
City to formulate the North and South America Continental Lung Kong Tien Yee Kung Shaw.
In 1960, the World Lung Kong Tien Yee Association was established. In 1968 the
headquarters was moved to Taiwan.
The Lung Kong Tien Yee Association of Europe was established in 1978.
These organizational actions stirred more chapters to be created all over the world,
plus a strengthening of existing chapters. Presently there are one hundred and twenty
chapters. The respective world and Americas Lung Kong Groups conduct fraternal
representatives conferences once every four years as a means of strengthening
brotherly bonds and enhancing family affairs.
While traditionally equal in goals and spirit, each of the respective Lew, Quan,
Chang, and Chew members of the Fours Families has its own genealogical origins and
glorious history and traditions, as follows:
The Lew Family
Lew Pon established the Han Dynasty and was its first emperor. After he died,
twenty four emperors succeeded him as rulers of this Dynasty which lasted four
hundred and twenty two years. The strength of the Han Dynasty won homage from all
foreign countries in the Eastern world. Its reputation spread far beyond its frontiers.
Historically "Han" is still considered as the race representing the Chinese people.
During the Three Kingdoms period, the Lew family also ruled over the empire of Shuk
(Szechuan) for forty-three years.
The Quan Family
The Quan clan are the descendants of Lung Fung who was a courtier of the Shah Dynasty.
During the Sung Dynasty, they moved from Central China to Kwangtung and established
themselves as an influential clan in the are of Canton and Shiu Hing. Quan Yu
(Marquis Shou Ting) of Shuk in the Three Kingdoms period was a man of loyalty and
righteousness. His reputation has become even brighter generations after his death.
He has been worshipped as Quan the Holy King everywhere by all.
The Chang Family
Their ancestor was a lineal descendant of King Huang. The members of this family spread
all over the country from time immemorial. Chang is one of the great family names in
China with many of them well known for their virtues and as a reputable clan. During
the end of the Tang Dynasty, they began a move south, and since the Ming Dynasty, they
again Moved from Fukien to Kwangtung.
The Chew Family
Chew Kang Yun established the Sung Dynasty and served as its first emperor. Eighteen
Kings succeeded him as emperors and the Dynasty lasted altogether for three hundred and
nineteen years. Since the South Sung Dynasty, the Chew clan moved to Fukien and Kwangtung
in great numbers. They have multiplied, prospered and have established themselves as
one of the influential clans of the area.
Each Has Own Origin
The ancestors of the Four Families all had their own places of origin as the foundation
of growth. In order to commemorate this fact and to avoid any possible misunderstanding,
their descendants established various "Tongs" as symbols for distinction. As a result,
the Lew Family had adopted the name of "Peng Cheng Tong." Peng Cheng was the name of
a county in the Han Dynasty which is now the Tung Shan District of Kiangsu. The Quan
Family has adopted the name of "Lungsi Tong." Lungsi was the name of a county in the
Chin Dynasty which is now part of the Kansu Province. The Chang Family has adopted the
name of "Ching Ho Tong." Ching Ho was the name of a county in the Han Dynasty which is
now the area along Ching Ho of Hopeh Province, and along Ching Ping of Shangtung
province. The Chew Family has adopted the name of "Tien Shui Tong." Tien Shui was the
name of a county in the Han Dynasty which is now part of Kansu Province.
We have had a history of five thousand years. We are proud of being the members of the
Chinese race, possessing a great culture and civilization. We are thankful for the
heritage which our ancestors have given us, and this thankfulness in our heats has
fostered our filial piety towards our ancestors who have made their good influences ever
felt generations after generations.
Challenge of the Future
We, members of the Four Families, irrespective of sex or age or homesteads, should
therefore all assemble in the name of the "Chinese race" and "Lung Kong Tien Yee" and
be guided by the spirit of loyally, righteousness, benevolence, and bravery of the
Four Heroes. We should cultivate righteousness and emphasize the importance of
friendliness and brotherhood. WE should cooperate with one another and dedicate ourselves
for the well-being of the community in which we live and for the bright future of our
Chinese race.
Today we can learn from the lessons and examples of the past to apply in the future.
The future, as always, is just around the corner. We, are the members of the illustrious
Four Families, of Lung Kong, are fortunate to be inheritors of the best of the past, as
history has recorded. We who are living in today's world will find a world more divers
and complex in peoples, problems. The horizon perhaps is wider than the one which faced
our ancestral heroes. IT will be a challenge for us to contribute to a wider and larger
society with the gifts of the Lung Kong principles. But we, schooled in the complete
belief and teaching of the Four Families, can and will meet the challenge.
In so doing, we can be certain that the spirit of lung Kong will prevail and the light
of Lung Kong will shine brightly all over the world. These are goals of the Lung Kong
Associations. Let all of us encourage one another to advance courageously towards these
goals set before us.
Rule of Conduct by Emperor Lew Pei
Be endeavoring, be endeavoring:
Do not consider the evil so small and thus commit it;
Do not consider the goodness so small and thus disdain it.
Only virtue, only high conduct can win the people.
Written by: Kerry Tom
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