Page "Confucius" Paragraph 62

Confucius ' descendants were repeatedly identified and honored by successive imperial governments with titles of nobility and official posts.

They were honored with the rank of a marquis thirty-five times since Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, and they were promoted to the rank of duke forty-two times from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang first bestowed the title of " Duke Wenxuan " on Kong Suizhi of the 35th generation.

In 1055, Emperor Renzong of Song first bestowed the title of " Duke Yansheng " on Kong Zongyuan of the 46th generation.