The Origin of Our Chen Clan
During the Chow Dynasty, Emperor Chow Wu conquered and occupied the Ko Sang territory. Subsequently Hu Kohg-Man was appointed by the emperor to go the area called Chen to serve as his ambassador. Hu's descendant Cehn Shi was a Han Dynasty official. One of his descendants Cehn Mai was a governor of Fujien. Our forefather Cehn Chung came from Chen Mai who had originally resided in the township of Chin Tao, Uan Nian County, Village of Hung Gui. Today the area belongs to the township of Dzaw Chou, in Chiang Xi Province. Residents there planted much Kwei, therefore was also known as Kwei Li.
Chen Chung had a son, Yong who started his imperial service(a high noble civil service status) during the inaugural year(705 AD) of the Xienlun period, of the Tang Dynasty Empiror Wu Tse -Tien. When he returned to the palace, he attained an imperial court position and was promoted to a high office known as Xienlun Yong Yong Kun Kwan. He came into serious conflict with Li Lin Pu, who apparently was a powerful court officail.
Because of disagreements and conflict, Yong was exiled to Fujien Province during the 24th year of the xien Lun period of the Empeor's reign. The family first lived in foochow, then moved to Shinhua and eventually settled in the Nanshianshan section of the Nantang Road, City of Jiang Chow.
Yong had four sons and all entered imperial services. Eldest Yitse, second Yisie, third, Yihong, and fourth Yize. During Emperor Techung's reign, Yitse and Yisie were both imperial advisors. During the reign of Emperor Uanchung, Yihong was appointed as the imperial court chronicler as well as Shi-Kung Minister. He organized and catalogued the court library and published the Tang Dynasty literature(Note: the collection of Tang Dynasty literature is considered one of the best of the chinese classical period). Yize was also appointed to another high imperial position. His son Tao too was an officail who actively constructed edifices and towers but was falsely accused by provincial official. His daughter Chin Hwa, a devout buddhist, influenced Yize to give away all his worldly possessions in addition to transforming his personal dwelling into a temple in order to neutralize the false charges. She was honored with the title of Chin Hwa Chun Tzu(an ancient pagoda with his name can still be seen today).
Dr. Chen Tien-En collected genealogical records of our ancestors and traced our family line. He was fifty-fourth generation descendant of our first forefather Chen Chung.