The You Clan#

Surname: You, Pronunciation: yóu

Distribution of the You Clan#

Over the long period of its development and migration, the You clan mainly had its origins in the Wuxing Commandery—a commandery established during the Three Kingdoms period by the state of Wu. The administrative center of Wuxing was Wucheng (located south of present-day Huzhou, Zhejiang Province), which encompassed areas corresponding to today's Lin'an, Yuhang, and Deqing in Zhejiang.

Origin of the You Clan#

The origin of the "You" surname can be traced to two possible sources:

1. From the "Shen" surname: According to "Liangxi Manlu," during the Five Dynasties, Wang Shenzhi ruled the state of Min in Fujian. To avoid the negative connotations associated with the character "Shen" (which has the same pronunciation as another character with similar meaning), the people of Min removed the three water radicals from the "Shen" character and replaced the remaining portion with "You."
2. From historical records: The "Book of the Later Han" (Volume 77) mentions individuals named You Liduo and You Huan, indicating that the "You" surname was already in use during the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Ancestor of the Clan:
Dan Ji, also known as Ran Jizai, was a descendant of the Yellow Emperor and the tenth son of King Wen of Zhou. After King Wu's death, the young King Cheng ascended the throne, and the Duke of Zhou (Duke Dan) served as regent. Three powerful officials (Huo Shu, Guan Shu, and Cai Shu) were dissatisfied with this arrangement, and they colluded with the Wu Geng, a son of King Zhou of Shang, to launch a rebellion. Dan Ji played a key role in suppressing the rebellion. After the conflict, the Duke of Zhou appointed Dan Ji as the Minister of Works (Sikong) for the Zhou emperor. Later, Dan Ji was granted the fief of Shen, which led to the establishment of the Shen state. His descendants adopted the name "Shen" as their surname. During the Five Dynasties, Wang Chao and Wang Shenzhi entered Fujian, and Wang Shenzhi established the state of Min, becoming its ruler. To avoid the pronunciation confusion between "Shen" and "You," the "Shen" surname was changed to "You." However, Dan Ji is still revered as the ancestor of the You clan.

Hall Names of the Clan:
"Shude," "Zhiqing," "Wuxing," "Guixian," "Heqi," "Suichu," "Qingtian," and others.

Migration and Distribution:
The You surname is not among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China today. However, in Taiwan, it ranks 84th. The exact origins of the You surname are relatively recent. Historical records from the Eastern Han Dynasty include figures such as You Lai, You Huan (the grandson of a Han official and the king of Shanshan), and You Liduo (the king of Qiuci), who were later deposed by Ban Chao and sent to the capital Chang'an (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi Province). During the Five Dynasties, Wang Shenzhi established the state of Min and became its ruler. Due to the pronunciation similarity between "Shen" and "You," the surname was changed to avoid confusion. Dan Ji is still considered the ancestor of the You clan.

Notes on the Clan's History:
The You clan has various hall names representing its values and traditions, such as "Shude" (Cultivating Virtue), "Zhiqing" (Maintaining Integrity), "Wuxing" (Wuxing Commandery), and others. The You surname has spread to various regions, including Taiwan, where it is one of the 84 most common surnames. Although the exact migration patterns are not well-documented, historical records show that the clan began to gain prominence during the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty.