The Xu Clan#

Surname: Xu, Pronunciation: xú

Distribution of the Xu Clan#

• Hai County, Jiangsu Province; Juye County, Shandong Province; Yishui City, Linyi City; Puyang, Henan Province

Origins of the Xu Clan#

1. Derived from the Ying Clan: It is said that Ruomu, a son of Boyi, was granted the state of Xu. According to "Yuanhe Xing Zuan" and "Tongzhi·Shi Zhu Lue," Boyi assisted Yu the Great in controlling the floods, and Yu Shun granted Ruomu the state of Xu (around present-day Tancheng, southern Shandong). From Ruomu to King Yan of Xu (the 32nd generation), the state was later conquered by the Zhou dynasty. King Yan's son, Zong, was granted Xu again. Zong's 11th-generation descendant, Zhangyu, was conquered by the Wu dynasty, and from then on, the people took the name of their state as their surname. (Source: "Tongzhi·Shi Zhu Lue")
2. Derived from Six Tribes of the Yin People: Boqin, the eldest son of the Duke of Zhou, was granted the state of Lu and received six tribes of the Yin people, including those with the Xu surname. This is considered one of the legendary origins of the Xu clan.
3. Surnames Changed to Xu: During the Five Dynasties, Li Sheng changed his surname to Xu. His descendants also adopted the Xu surname. Additionally, many Xu people in Nanjing were descendants of Qin Hui from the Song dynasty; out of shame for Qin Hui's actions, they changed their surname to Xu.

Founding Ancestor of the Xu Clan:
Ruomu, a son of Boyi, played a key role in helping Yu the Great control the floods. For his contributions, Ruomu was granted the state of Xu. By the 32nd generation, King Yan of Xu, due to his benevolent rule, was widely supported by the surrounding states. When King Mu of Zhou neglected state affairs and indulged in hunting, King Yan rebelled. However, fearing bloodshed, he fled to the mountains around Pengcheng (present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu). Because he was beloved by his people, thousands followed him. Moved by King Yan's popularity, the Zhou emperor allowed his son to continue governing Xu. Ruomu is considered the founding ancestor of the Xu clan; his tomb is located in Tancheng, Shandong.

Spread and Expansion of the Xu Clan The Xu clan first thrived in the southern part of Shandong and the Huai River basin, originating from the ancient state of Xu. They lived there for over a thousand years until the state was conquered by the Wu dynasty. Some Xu people fled to Henan and Shandong, where the clan flourished, as evidenced by the many Xu clans originating from ancient Shandong regions. During the Qin dynasty, Xu Fu from Shandong traveled to the East Sea in search of the elixir of immortality, taking three thousand boys and girls with him; these people vanished into the vastness of history. Xu Fu is sometimes regarded as the founder of the Xu clan in Japan. Besides Shandong, Xu people were also found in Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang during the Qin and Han dynasties. Before the Eastern Han dynasty, Xu people migrated westward into present-day Gansu. During the Eastern Han dynasty, Xu Zi, a prominent scholar from the south, moved to present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi. His descendants settled in various places, including Quzhou and Longyou in Zhejiang, Shaoxing and Xian in Jiangxi, and Suzhou and Wuxian in Jiangsu. During the Three Kingdoms period, Xu Shu, who recommended Zhuge Liang, was a notable figure from Henan. The large-scale southward migration of the Xu clan began during the Wei and Jin dynasties. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, many Xu people fled to the south to escape the chaos caused by the nomadic tribes. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the clan further spread in southern China. At the end of the Song dynasty, some Xu people moved from Shicheng in Jiangsu to Tingzhou (present-day Changting and Shanghang, Liancheng in Fujian). During the Yuan dynasty, Xu people migrated from Jiangxi and Fujian to Fengshun, Haifeng, Meixian, Bolong in Guangdong, and Nankeng in Chaozhou. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Xu clan was widespread across China.

Notable Individuals with the Xu Surname:

• Xu Xiake: A renowned traveler and travelogue author from Jiangyin, Nan Zhili (present-day Jiangsu). His diaries were compiled into the "Xu Xiake Travelogue," which is of great geographical and literary value.
• Xu Guangqi: A scientist, politician, and agronomist from Shanghai. He wrote works such as "Nong Zheng Quan Shu" and translated "Elementary Geometry" and "Western Water Methods."
• Xu Jianyin: A scientist from the late Qing dynasty; his father was Xu Shou. He authored and translated several books, including "Zao Chuan Quan Shu," "Bing Xue Xin Shu," and "Hua Xue Fen Yuan."
• Xu Beihong: A famous modern painter and art educator from Yixing, Jiangsu, known for his horse paintings.
• Xu Zhimo: A prominent modern poet and essayist from Haining, Zhejiang, who advocated for new poetic forms and made significant contributions to Chinese poetry.