The Wu Clan#

Surname: Wu, pronunciation: wú

Regions where the Wu Clan is Distributed**#

Lingjun, Jiangsu

Origins of the Wu Clan#

The origin of the “Wu” surname can be traced back to the following sources:

1. It originates from the “Ji” surname, with the clan name being derived from the name of a state. Taibo, the eldest son of the ancient ruler Gugong Canfu, fled to the south of the Yangtze River and established the state of Gouwu, with its capital in Meili (present-day Wuxi, Jiangsu). After King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang Dynasty, Taibo’s third-generation grandson, Zhou Zhang, became a vassal king. However, in 473 BC, Gouwu was conquered by Goujian, the king of Yue. The descendants of Taibo adopted the name of the state as their clan name.
2. It is also a descendant of Yu Zhong, a son of Gugong Canfu; since Yu Zhong had connections to the Wu region, his descendants took “Wu” as their surname.
3. In the areas of Qi and Lu, many members of the Wu clan are descendants of Wu Jili, the fourth son of Shoumeng.

Population Distribution

The current population of the Wu clan exceeds 24 million, making it the tenth most common surname in China, accounting for approximately 1.93% of the national population. The main concentrations of the Wu clan are in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Jiangsu, which together account for about 34% of the total Wu clan population. Other significant populations are found in Anhui, Zhejiang, Hunan, Sichuan, Hubei, Shandong, Jiangxi, and Henan, which together account for another 41%.

Prominent Places Associated with the Wu Clan

Important places associated with the Wu clan include Puhai, Yanling, Bohai, Puyang, Chenliu, Runan, Changsha, Wuchang, and Wuxing. In addition to these places, other prominent clan names include Sandang, Rangde, Zhongde, Shide, Rende, Zhide, Xiuju, and Zhongyi.

Blood Type Distribution

The overall blood type distribution among the Wu clan is as follows: Type O accounts for 35.8%, Type A for 29%, Type B for 27.1%, and Type AB for 8.1%.

Notable Figures with the Wu Surname

• Wu Taibo: Born in the 12th century BC, he lived to be 91 years old. His father was Gugong Canfu, and his younger brothers were Zhongyong and Jili. Gugong Canfu intended to make Jili his successor, but Taibo and Zhongyong went to the Jingman region, where they cut their hair and tattooed their bodies. They established the ancient state of Gouwu, with over a thousand followers. They built the city of Taibo and dug the Bodu canal to promote the culture of the Central Plains. Confucius said, “Taibo can truly be called a man of utmost virtue; he gave up the throne three times, leaving no one else to claim it.” Taibo is revered as the founder of the Wu clan, and he was buried on Tieshan Mountain (in Hongshan Town), which is considered the oldest tomb in the south of the Yangtze River.
• Wu Daozi: A famous painter from the Tang Dynasty, revered as the “Sage of Painting.” His paintings are characterized by bold and powerful lines with rich variations, breaking away from the traditional fine-line technique of ancient times. His works convey a sense of movement and rhythm, earning him the nickname “Wu Dai Dang Feng” (meaning “Wu’s style is like the wind”).
• Wu Guang: A leader of the peasant uprising at the end of the Qin Dynasty. In 209 BC, he and Chen Sheng led an uprising with 900 soldiers and established the Zhangchu regime. He was later killed by his subordinate Tian Zang under the pretense of an order from Chen Sheng.
• Wu Chengen: (Date of birth unknown – died in 1582 AD), styled Ruzhong and also known as Sheyang Shanren, was from Shanyang, Huai'an. He was highly intelligent and well-versed in various subjects. In 1548, he passed the imperial examinations and was appointed as the assistant magistrate of Changxing County. Later, he returned to Shanyang and devoted himself to poetry and wine. Many of his works were lost after his death; Qiu Zhenggang compiled four volumes of his poems and one volume of additional works. Wu Chengen was also a talented playwright and author of several miscellaneous writings. His most famous work is “Journey to the West,” one of the four great classical novels of the Ming Dynasty.
• Wu Sangui: (1612–1678), styled Changbai, was from Gaoyou during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. During the Chongzhen era, he served as a military commander at Shanhaiguan. When Li Zicheng captured the capital, Wu Sangui invited Qing troops into China to defeat Li Zicheng, and the Qing Dynasty subsequently took control. Wu Sangui was granted the title of King Pingxi and was stationed in Yunnan. He later rebelled against the Qing, declared himself emperor of Zhou, but died of illness.