### Migration and Distribution (Insufficient data) The Kong (空) surname is not ranked among the top 100 surnames in the Mainland and Taiwan. The Kong clan evolved from the historical compound surname Kongsang (空桑). It is said that Yi Yin, a worthy minister in the early Shang Dynasty, was born in Kongsang (now Kaifeng, Henan, or some believe it to be in the area of Qufu, Shandong). His son was named Kongsang, and among his descendants, some took Yi Yin's birthplace as their surname, becoming the Kongsang clan, which was later simplified to the Kong clan. Another theory suggests that it originated from Kongtong (also known as Kongtong, 空桐). In the Shang Dynasty, Qi, an ancestor of the Zi surname (legend has it that Qi was a descendant of Huangdi), had descendants who were enfeoffed in Kongtong. Their descendants took the name of the state as their surname, becoming the Kongtong clan, which was later simplified to the Kong surname. The prominent families of the Kong clan are mainly located in Gongqiu County (now in the northern part of Zibo City, Shandong. Some also believe it to be in the southeast of Changle County, Shandong) and Dunqiu (now in Henan Province).

Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) Named Qiu and styled Zhongni, he is one of the representatives of Oriental culture and the founder of Confucianism. He was a native of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was born with noble virtues and had no fixed teacher. It is said that he once asked about rituals from Lao Dan (Laozi, the founder of Taoism), learned music from Chang Hong, and learned the qin from Shi Xiang. At first, he served in the State of Lu as the Minister of Justice and acted as the prime minister for a while, resulting in great order in the State of Lu. Later, he traveled around the various states for thirteen years but was not employed. At the age of sixty - eight, he returned to Lu. In his later years, he devoted himself to sorting out ancient classics. He had three thousand disciples, among whom seventy - two were well - versed in the Six Arts. He initiated civilian education and was respected as the Supreme Sage and First Teacher by later generations. He is also simply called Confucius. Unfortunately, since the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, his thoughts have been widely exploited by the rulers of the Chinese Empire and have become an effective tool for the rulers to restrict the people's thoughts, greatly affecting the development of the Chinese Empire. Kong Rong (153 - 208) Styled Wenju, he was a native of Qufu in the Eastern Han Dynasty and the twentieth - generation descendant of Confucius. He was talented and was one of the Seven Masters of Jian'an. During the reign of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, he served as the governor of Beihai, and was commonly known as Kong Beihai. He established schools and promoted Confucianism. Later, he was appointed as a grand master - of - admonition and was killed by Cao Cao. Kong Xiangxi (1880 - 1967) Styled Yongzhi, he was a native of Taigu, Shanxi. He studied in Yale University in the United States. He successively held the positions of a member of the National Government, Minister of Finance (he was the richest man in China at that time), President of the Executive Yuan, and President of the Central Bank.