1. The Langya Wang family
The Langya Wang family is the top noble family in ancient China, the first of the four most powerful families in the Jin Dynasty, "Wang Xie Yuan Xiao" (also known as "Wang Xie Huan" "Yu") was the most representative prominent family in the Central Plains during the Middle Ages, and was known as the "First Hope in China".
The Langya Wang family originated in Langya Linyi (today's Linyi City, Shandong Province) during the Western Han Dynasty, developed in the Cao Wei and Western Jin Dynasties, was established in the early years of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and reached its peak period. It is known in history as "The King and the Horse, ***" "Tianxia" lasted until the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, and then declined after the Southern Dynasties. Over the course of seven hundred years, the Wang family of Langya exerted an important influence on politics, ethics, laws and regulations, literature and art.
For more than 1,700 years from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Langya Wang family cultivated 92 prime ministers and more than 600 famous literati, represented by Wang Ji, Wang Dao, Wang Xizhi, Wang Yuanji and others.
2. The Xie family of Chenjun
The Xie family of Chenjun is a famous family in ancient China and one of the top families. The Xie family of Chen County started in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. In the famous "Battle of Feishui", the Xie family headed by Xie An made a great contribution to the victory of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, laying the foundation for the Xie family of Chen County to be the leader of the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties. The ruling gentry.
The Xie family in Chen County also produced many outstanding figures with great literary contributions and artistic talents, so much so that later generations compared the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, when the noble families were at their peak, to the era of "Wang Xie". The second among the four most powerful families in the Southern Dynasties, "Wang Xie Yuan Xiao", rose in Cao Wei and declined in Liang in the Southern Dynasty. In the Southern Dynasty, Chen also held high positions, but his influence was not as good as before.
Outstanding figures of literary contribution and artistic talent of the Xie family in Chen County: Xie Kun, Xie Shang, Xie Yi, Xie An, Xie Wan, Xie Daoyun, Xie Hun, Xie Lingyun, Xie Huilian, Xie Tiao, Xie Zhuang etc., outstanding military talents include: Xie Shi, Xie Xuan, Xie Yan, Xie Hui, etc.
3. The Cui family of Qinghe
The Cui family of Qinghe, a famous family from the Han Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties in China, originated from the surname Jiang. During the Spring and Autumn Period, he was one of the ministers of the State of Qi. During the period of Duke Jinggong of Qi, he fled to the State of Lu for refuge due to political struggles. He succeeded him as the minister of the State of Lu, and his official career changed until the unification of Qin.
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Cui family of Qinghe entered its heyday. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Cui family of Qinghe was listed as the first of the four surnames "Cui Lu Wang Zheng". The Cui family of Qinghe and the Lu family of Fanyang were both called "Cui Lu", and they were known as "the most prosperous family in the world".
In the Tang Dynasty, the Cui family of Qinghe gave birth to 12 prime ministers, and was listed as one of the "forbidden marriage families" among the five surnames and Qiwang (seven surnames and ten families), and enjoyed a high reputation in society. , a large number of poets, writers, civil and military champions such as Cui Hao, Cui Rong, Cui Yuan, etc. also emerged in the family.
4. Lanling Xiao Clan
Lanling Xiao Clan, a famous family in ancient China, is one of the top families. The Lanling Xiao family was a famous family based in Lanling County, Donghai County (now Lanling County, Linyi City, Shandong Province). It first emerged in the period of Emperor Xuan of the Western Han Dynasty, the minister and prince Taifu Xiao Wangzhi, and from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the end of the Western Jin Dynasty for 200 years. During the remaining years of his career, when he moved southward in the late Western Jin Dynasty, he was resettled in Wujin, Jiangsu Province because of his large family size, and settled in Lanling County.
The Lanling Xiao family had already become a powerful family in the world as early as the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. From then on, it was not until the end of the Tang Dynasty that the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms began to decline with the family. During the Southern Dynasties, the Xiao family produced more than thirty prime ministers: Xiao Sihua, Xiao Mian, Xiao Yi, Xiao Song, Xiao Ye, Xiao Ziliang, Xiao Qiang, Xiao Shuo, Xiao Zimao, Xiao Ziming, Xiao Jun, Xiao Xuan etc.; twenty-one emperors in the two dynasties (Southern Qi and South Liang).
5. The Li family of Longxi
The Li family of Longxi is a Li family with Longxi County as its headquarter in ancient China. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, Longxi County was established and it was one of the county commanders with the surname Li.
The Li family in Longxi was a famous family of generals and soldiers in the Qin and Han dynasties. This family has produced famous generals such as Li Guang, the flying general of the Western Han Dynasty, and Li Xin, the famous general of the Qin Dynasty. Li Yuan, the Li family in Longxi, destroyed the Sui Dynasty and established the Tang Dynasty, ushering in an era of cultural prosperity.