Liang (surname)
| Liang (梁) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | "a beam", "a bridge", "an elevation", or "a mast" |
| Other names | |
| Variant(s) | Leung, Leong, Lyang, Yang |
| Transliteration | Regions |
|---|---|
| Liang | China, Indonesia, Malaysia |
| Leung | Hong Kong |
| Leong | Macau, Malaysia, Singapore |
| Liong | Indonesia, Foochow |
| Neo/Nio/Niu | Hokkien, Teochew, Hainan |
| Ryang, Yaung, Lyang | Japan |
| Yang（양）/Ryang(량) | Korea |
| Lương | Vietnam |
| Diang(son, zon) | Pampanga |
Liang[1] (Romanization used in China, Chinese: 梁) is an East Asian surname of Chinese origin. Meaning "a beam", "a bridge", or "an elevation", or "a mast",[2] the surname is often transliterated as Leung (in Hong Kong) or Leong (in Macau, Malaysia, and Singapore) according to its Cantonese and Hakka pronunciation, Neo / Nio / Niu (Hokkien, Teochew, Hainan), or Liong (Foochow). To Indonesia, it is known as Liang or Nio. It is also common in Korea, where it is written Yang 양 or Ryang 량 . In Vietnam, it's pronounced as Lương.
History
The first Liang was Liang Kang (梁康）and was conferred the title "Bo" or "伯" (third ranking noble- equivalent to a Count or Earl) who was the ruler of the State of Liang, in what is now Shaanxi Province in the northwestern part of China. He was a younger son of Qin Zhong (秦仲- ancestor to the Qin Duchy and subsequent Qin Dynasty）who was killed in battle against barbarians to the west (西戎）in the service of the Zhou emperor. Liang Kang, amongst the five sons of Qin Zhong requested assistance from the Zhou emperor to retaliate and triumphed. The eldest son inherited the Qin state with the younger son being conferred the State of Liang and became the first Liang- henceforth also known as Liang Bo (梁伯 Count of Liang).
During the Eastern Han period, a time when the Han Dynasty was in chaos and decline, a power struggle ensued between three rival groups, the powerful eunuchs, the cliques of officials and the consort families of which the Liang was one. This was largely because, starting in 88 AD, minors were placed on the throne and hence effective control of the Dynasty was in the hands of Regents. There were three successive empresses starting with Liang Na, Liang Ji and Liang Mengnu.
According to Witold Rodziński's The Walled Kingdom (1984), "the Liang family, by providing three empresses, became the effective ruler of the country by the middle of the second century, and its members accumulated a vast number of key posts. However, its rivals, the eunuchs, were able, due to their influence on the new emperor, to bring about its downfall, and the whole Liang clan was reduced in 159AD."
In 159AD a eunuch gang in the service of Emperor Huan of Han slaughtered relatives of the Empress Dowager Liang, effectively bringing an end to the Imperial aspirations of the Liang family.
Notable people with the surname 梁
Chinese
- Jack Neo, film director.
- Lily Neo, Singapore politician.
- Alan Leong, Senior Counsel* and former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
- Andrew Leung, President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
- Antony Leung, banker and former Financial Secretary of Hong Kong
- Bryan Leung Hong Kong martial arts actor and director
- Liang Chen, professional tennis player
- Liang Cheng, Qing dynasty ambassador to the United States
- Christine Liang, Taiwanese-born president and founder of ASI Corp., Fremont, California
- CY Leung The third Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Edmond Leung 梁漢文, Hong Kong Singer, actor and a quarter of Big Four and a finalist of the 8th annual New Talent Singing Awards
- Edwaard Liang, Taiwanese-born American choreographer, ballet dancer with Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company and former soloist with New York City Ballet
- Edwin Leong, Hong Kong billionaire businessman
- Elsie Leung, solicitor and former Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong
- Gigi Leung, Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress
- Fish Leong, Malaysian-born Mandopop singer
- Isabella Leong, Hong Kong-based Macanese actress and former singer
- Katie Leung, Scottish film, television and stage actress
- Ken Leung, American film and television actor
- Lawrence Leung, Australian comedian, writer and director
- Lawrence Liang, Indian legal researcher and lawyer
- Lei Liang, Chinese-born American composer
- Martin Leung, American pianist
- Leung Jan, Wing Chun practitioner and Chinese herbal doctor from Foshan
- Leung Kwok-hung, Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
- Liang Guanglie, Minister of National Defense in the People's Republic of China and serves as a general in the People's Liberation Army of China
- Liang May Seen, first woman of Chinese descent to live in Minnesota, community leader in Minneapolis
- Liang Qichao, Chinese scholar, philosopher, journalist and reformist
- Liang Shih-Chiu, (1903–1987), Chinese-born Taiwanese educator, writer, translator, literary theorist and lexicographer
- Liang Wenbo, snooker player
- Liang Wengen, founder and main shareholder of Sany Group and one of the wealthiest men in China
- Toby Leung, Hong Kong television actress; daughter of Tommy Leung, deputy chief director of drama at TVB
- Tony Leung (Leung Chiu Wai), Hong Kong actor and singer
- Tony Leung (Leung Ka Fai), Hong Kong actor
- Liang Xiaosheng, Chinese novelist and screenwriter
Filipino
- Ronnie Liang, Filipino singer
Vietnamese
- Luong Kim Dinh, (15 June 1914 - 25 March 1997) was a Vietnamese catholic priest, scholar and philosopher
- [[Kathleese American actress and model
- Luong Bich Huu, Vietnamese singer
- Dominic Mai Thanh Lương, Auxiliary Bishop of Orange from 2013-2015
Korean
- See Yang (Korean surname) for a more detailed list of famous Korean people with the last name Yang.