The Hu Family Name#

The family name is Hu, pronounced as hù.

Distribution of the Hu Family Name#

Jingzhao Commandery: Jingzhao Commandery was established in the first year of the Taichu era during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, governing twelve counties. During the Three Kingdoms period, it was established by the state of Wei, with its administrative center in Chang’an (present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi Province). This area roughly corresponds to the region north of the Qinling Mountains, east of Xi’an, and south of the Wei River in Shaanxi Province.

Origin of the Hu Family Name#

There are two theories regarding the origin of the Hu family name:

1. Derived from the Si surname: The Hu family originated from the descendants of King Yu the Great, adopting the name of their former state as their surname. According to texts such as Fengsu Tong (Customs and Customs), Zuo Zhuan (Commentary of Zuo), and Han Shu (History of the Han Dynasty), after King Yu’s death, his son Qi succeeded to the throne and established the Xia Dynasty, calling himself Xiahou Qi. This practice violated the traditional system of abdication, causing dissatisfaction among some vassal states. One of these vassal states, the state of Hu, was also descended from King Yu and was granted the territory around present-day Hu County, Shaanxi Province, where they established the state of Hu. The leader of the Hu family felt it was their duty to uphold the traditional system and thus raised an army to oppose Xiahou Qi. Qi immediately gathered the other vassal states to suppress the rebellion. Since King Yu’s great achievements were still remembered, most vassal states were willing to support Qi, giving him the upper hand. The two armies met near present-day Hu County. Before the battle, Qi delivered a speech to his troops, which is recorded in Shang Shu (Book of Documents) as the “Gan Oath.” This speech listed the crimes of the Hu family and outlined the battle plan and reward and punishment regulations. Despite the brave fighting of the Hu people, they were outnumbered and were ultimately defeated. After the battle, Xiahou Qi eliminated the state of Hu. The survivors of the Hu family adopted the name of their former state as their surname. The Hu family later split into two branches: Hu and Hu?. Although the characters for Hu, Hu?, and Hu? are similar in sound but different in writing, they actually refer to the same family. The Hu? surname originated from changing the character “Hu” by removing the “yi” (a prefix meaning “city”).

2. Derived from the Xianbei tribe: According to Wei Shu (History of the Wei Dynasty), during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Xianbei tribe had a three-character surname, Hu Digan. After entering the Central Plains, this surname was changed to Hu and Gan.

Ancestry of the Hu Family:

The Hu family is said to be descended from the vassals of the Xia Dynasty. They were originally named Si and were enfeoffed by King Qi’s younger brother. When King Yu passed the throne to Qi, they refused to accept this decision and fought against him at Gan (present-day Hu County, Shaanxi Province), but were defeated and their state was destroyed. The descendants of the Hu family adopted the name of their former state as their surname. Later, the Hu family split into the Hu and Hu? branches. The characters for Hu, Hu?, and Hu? are similar in sound but different in writing; they all represent the same family.

Migration and Distribution:

The Hu family name does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. The Hu surname originates from the Si surname. In ancient times, Emperor Yao abdicated in favor of Emperor Shun, who in turn abdicated in favor of King Yu for his contributions to water control. King Yu later passed the throne to his son Qi, who established the Xia Dynasty. Since King Yu’s actions violated the traditional abdication tradition, it caused dissatisfaction among some vassal states. One of these states, the state of Hu, rose up against Qi but was defeated, and the Hu family was nearly wiped out. To escape persecution, some members of the Hu family changed their surname to Hu. Another theory suggests that after Qi established the Xia Dynasty, he granted his descendants the territory around present-day Hu County, where they established the state of Hu. Some descendants of the Hu royal family adopted the name of their state as their surname, giving rise to the Hu family. The Hu family later dispersed across various regions of China due to historical circumstances. A branch settled in Macheng County, Huguang. Some members were persecuted and migrated to other places; one branch moved to Guizhou, with some still residing in Tongzi, Guizhou, and others in Shijiao Town, Qijiang County, Chongqing.

Common Couplets for Hu Family Ancestral Temples

Four-character Couplets for Hu Family Ancestral Temples#

• Descended from Jingzhao; Surnamed Hu, originating from the state of Hu. (Alluding to the family’s historical origins and lineage.)
• Honored in the ancestral hall; Their power shook Zhaoyang. (Referencing Hu Meng from the Northern Song Dynasty, a scholar and military officer.)

Five-character Couplets for Hu Family Ancestral Temples#

• Both father and son were famous generals; Brothers were both talented individuals. (Referring to Hu Zaixing and Hu Meng, famous generals from the Song Dynasty.)
• A thousand blessings gather within the Hu family; A hundred beautiful flowers bloom in the town. (Describing the Hu family’s prosperity and cultural heritage.)

Six-character Couplets for Hu Family Ancestral Temples#

• A general’s mansion from the Han Dynasty; A scholar’s home from the Later Zhou Dynasty. (Referencing Hu Yun and Hu Zai, notable figures from different historical periods.)
• Effective governance won the people’s support; Brave leadership led to numerous victories. (Honoring the achievements of Hu family members in history.)

These couplets reflect the rich history and cultural heritage of the Hu family.