Naming dispute over Guangdong food company
Using a name pronounced the same as Zhuge Liang
Descendants say it "tarnishes Zhuge Liang's image"
A food company in southern China's Guangdong Province has become embroiled in controversy over allegations that it has made a mockery of the name and image of Zhuge Liang, a historical figure from the Records of the Three Kingdoms.
According to Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily and other outlets on February 6, a man who recently identified himself as a descendant of Zhuge Liang issued a statement on January 31 together with other descendants, accusing "Zhu Geliang Food Co., Ltd. (猪葛亮食品有限公司)" in Dongguan, Guangdong Province of engaging in malicious marketing. They argued that the company exploited the fact that the character for "pig" (猪, zhu) in its name and the character "Zhu" (諸) in the Zhuge surname are both pronounced "Zhuge Liang" (Jugeoryang) in Chinese, and that the company deliberately took advantage of this homophony.
As the statement spread online, Chinese internet users also noticed that the representative who registered the name "Zhu Geliang Food Co., Ltd." with the authorities is named Zhou Yu (周瑜, pronounced "Zhou Yu" in Chinese). Zhou Yu is another major figure in the Three Kingdoms narrative, known for leading the Battle of Red Cliffs. In the novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," he is depicted as a rival strategist who feels inferior to Zhuge Liang. Because of this, the rivalry between the two is so famous in China that when referring to two exceptionally talented competitors, people sometimes invoke their names together and call them "Yuliang" (瑜亮).
The author of the statement expressed concern that such "homophonic wordplay" misleads the public and negatively affects both the image of Zhuge Liang as a historical figure and the transmission of traditional culture. He added, "So far, we have found nearly 200 registered trademarks and companies related to 'Zhu Geliang,' and we hope the authorities will cancel their registrations." Zhuge Liang (181-234), chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, helped Liu Bei establish Shu Han and is also widely known by his courtesy name, Kongming. Legal experts in China have commented that Zhuge Liang's descendants could seek to have the "Zhu Geliang" trademarks canceled through judicial procedures.
As the controversy grew, Zhou, the head of "Jugeoryang Food Co., Ltd.," told Chinese media that "the company's name was conceived in-house and was registered on the premise that it complies with the law," adding, "It was not coined with malicious intent, nor was it meant to ride on Zhuge Liang's popularity." He went on to say, "The company will cease operations after the Spring Festival, and we will follow the relevant regulations to proceed with the deregistration process."
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