Ju Family Name#

Ju is the family name, pronounced as jū.

Distribution of the Ju Family Name#

• Bohai Commandery: Established during the Western Han Dynasty. It was located in the area of the Bohai Bay, which corresponds to present-day Hebei Province and Liaoning Province.
• Xindu Commandery: Originally part of the Zhao state during the Warring States period. It was later transformed into the Xindu Kingdom during the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty. The ancient city is located northeast of Zaocang County in present-day Hebei Province.

Origin of the Ju Family Name#

The Ju family name has a pure lineage. One theory suggests it originated from the Du family, with the surname being derived from the name of an ancestor. According to legend, Du Bo, a high-ranking official of the Zhou Dynasty, had a son who served as an official in the Jin state and was granted a fiefdom. His descendants adopted the name of the fiefdom as their surname, which became known as the "Xian" surname. Duke Wen of Jin promoted one of Du Bo's descendants, Xian Zhen, to the position of commander of the central army, responsible for governing the state. Xian Zhen led the Jin army to defeat the Qin army in the Yao Mountains, and his son, Xian Qieju, later succeeded him as commander of the central army and defeated the Qin army again at Pengya. Xian Qieju became very famous, and his descendants adopted the character "Ju" from his name as their surname, which has been passed down through generations.

Ancestor of the Ju Family Name: Xian Qieju.

The Ju family name originates from the Xian family. During the Spring and Autumn period, Xian Zhen and Xian Qieju, father and son, both served as commanders of the Jin army and achieved significant military victories against the Qin forces. Their descendants took pride in their ancestor's achievements and adopted his name as their surname.

Migration and Distribution: The Ju surname has not made it into the top 100 most common surnames in either the Chinese mainland or Taiwan. According to the "Yuanhe Xing Zuan", "Descendants of Du Bo, a high-ranking official of the Jin Dynasty, adopted the character from their father's name as their surname; this surname is common in Qiantang today." Xian Zhen, the father of Xian Qieju, was a commander of the Jin army and played a key role in defeating the Qin forces. Xian Qieju's descendants adopted the character "Ju" from his name as their surname. Families with the Ju surname originally came from Hebei Province but later spread to areas along the Yangtze River, such as Gaoyou, Jiangyin, and Jurong in Jiangsu Province, as well as Hubei Province. This distribution has been evident since ancient times. The "Xing Shi Kao Lue" states: "The Ju family has its origins in the Bohai and Xindu commanderies; it is common in Gaoyou, Jiangyin, Jurong in Jiangsu, and Hubei today." The prominent Ju family originated from the Bohai Commandery (present-day Cang County, Hebei Province).

Hall Names for the Ju Family:

• Xianghou Hall: During the Han Dynasty, Ju Weng served as the supervisor of Guilin in Nanyue. When he heard that the Han troops had captured Panyu, he persuaded more than 400,000 people from the Ou Tuo tribe to surrender to the Han, for which he was granted the title of Xiangcheng Hou (Marquis of Xiangcheng).
• Zhanqiu Hall: In the Ming Dynasty, Ju Ren was a man of great knowledge and integrity. He refused to serve in the government during the early Hongwu period and chose to live in seclusion, cultivating bamboo and spending his days reading. In his later years, he titled himself "Zhanqiu", which signifies finding joy in the green bamboo.

Common Couplets for Ju Family Ancestral Temples:

Four-character Couplets for Ju Family Ancestral Temples:

• "Xian Zhen, a noble lineage; a renowned family from Bohai." (Alluding to the family's origins and historical connections.)
• "In the Yuan Dynasty, Ju Lizhen inherited his father's position; in the Han Dynasty, they valued the contributions of the eastern city." (Referencing historical figures from the Yuan and Han dynasties.)

Six-character Couplets for Ju Family Ancestral Temples:

• "Both father and son were commanders of the army; the sisters were both painters." (Referencing the ancestral achievements of the Ju family during the Jin and Qing dynasties.)
• "The family's reputation stems from Bohai; their virtue and kindness are profound." (Alluding to the family's origins and historical significance.)

Seven-character Couplets for Ju Family Ancestral Temples:

• "The family's origins in Bohai have a long and honorable history; their name reflects their virtue and benevolence." (Referencing the family's origins and historical connections.)

These couplets highlight the family's legacy, achievements, and cultural significance.