The Qu Clan#

Clan Name: Qu, Pronunciation: qū

Distribution of the Qu Clan**#

Xiangshan Port, Zhejiang; Luoyang, Henan

Origins of the Qu Clan**#

The origin of the "Qu" clan can be traced to several different sources:

1. It originates from the Ji clan, stemming from Kuangqu Shu, a descendant of the ancient Yellow Emperor. This branch of the clan took its name from its ancestor.
2. It also originates from the Youhu clan, stemming from Qu Ao during the Xia Dynasty. This branch also took its name from its ancestor.
3. It originates from the Mi clan, stemming from the fiefdom of Mo'ao in the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period. This branch took its name from the name of the fiefdom.
4. It originates from place names, stemming from the fiefdom of Prince Ji Yiwu of the State of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. This branch underwent sinicization and changed its surname accordingly.
5. It originates from the Xianbei Tuoba tribe during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, also resulting from sinicization and surname changes.
6. It originates from the Naiman tribe during the Mongol Khanate, again resulting from sinicization and surname changes.
7. It originates from the Manchu people, also undergoing sinicization and surname changes.

Migration and Distribution

The Qu clan is considered a typical example of a multi-ethnic and multi-source surname. As of January 2009, it ranked 182nd on the list of Chinese surnames, with a population of about 763,000 people, accounting for approximately 0.048% of the total national population. The traditional ancestors of the Qu clan can be traced back to Mi Xia, a son of King Wu of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period, who was granted the fiefdom of Qu (Zigui, Hubei). His descendants adopted the name of the fiefdom as their surname. Thus, the Qu clan originated from the noble family of the State of Chu. The Qu clan flourished significantly during that period and, along with the Jing and Zhao clans, was one of the most powerful royal families in Chu. Many notable figures from this period are recorded in historical texts, with Qu Yuan being the most famous. After the fall of Chu to Qin in 223 BCE, the Qu clan began to migrate to various places. Some fled to present-day Hubei and Hunan for refuge. When the Han Dynasty conquered Qin, it relocated the descendants of the six defeated kingdoms and prominent families from the Guandong region to Guanzhong, including the Qu clan, marking the beginning of their presence in Shaanxi.

During the Western Han Dynasty, some members of the Qu clan moved to Linhai, Zhejiang, and others to Sihong and Xuyi, Jiangsu. The turbulent times at the turn of the Han dynasties led some members of the Guanzhong Qu clan to move to Shanxi, Hebei, and Shandong, with a branch settling in Luoyang, Henan. During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Qu clan thrived in Linhai, Zhejiang, Xuyi, Jiangsu, and Luoyang, Henan, becoming a prominent family in these areas. In the Three Kingdoms period, Qu Huang from Runan served in the state of Wu and settled in present-day Jiangsu. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Qu Zun family also thrived in northern Hebei and southern Liaoning, further expanding the clan's influence. The transformation of the Qu Tu clan into the Qu clan during this period greatly strengthened the Qu clan's strength.

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Qu clan experienced rapid development across the country. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, its presence in the south became dominant, with members settling in various provinces in the south, including Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi. In the early Ming Dynasty, the Qu clan from Shanxi, part of the Hongtong Dahuaishu migration, was distributed to Hebei, Beijing, Jiangsu, Henan, and Shandong. After the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Qu clan's distribution continued to expand. As of January 2009, the Qu clan is most prevalent in provinces such as Hunan and Shaanxi.

Notable Figures with the Surname Qu

Qu Yuan: Also known as Qu Ping or Zhengze, with the literary name Lingjun, he was a Han Chinese from Danyang (present-day Zigui, Hubei), a descendant of King Wu of Chu. Despite his loyalty to King Huai of Chu, Qu Yuan was repeatedly marginalized. After King Huai's death, he was exiled due to slander and ultimately drowned in the Miluo River. Qu Yuan is one of China's greatest romantic poets and one of the earliest famous poets in history. He founded the literary genre of "Chu Ci" and established the tradition of depicting beautiful women using fragrant herbs. His representative works include "Li Sao" and "Jiu Ge."