The Du Clan#

Surname: Du, pronounced as “dù”

Regions where the Du Clan is found**#

• Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
• Hanyang, Hubei Province
• Luoyang, Henan Province

Origin of the Du Clan#

The origin of the Du clan can be traced to three different lines:

1. From the Qi Clan: Descendants of Emperor Yao. More than 4,000 years ago, Emperor Yao initially lived in Dingtao, Shandong, and later moved to Tang County, Hebei, where they were known as the Tao-Tang clan. The Tao-Tang clan was a prominent tribe in North China at that time, and Emperor Yao’s great achievements made them notable in historical records. Shun granted the title of Marquis of Tang to Dan Zhu, a descendant of Yao. During the Xia Dynasty, Liu Lei, a descendant of Dan Zhu, was awarded the title of Lord of Liu for his service in taming dragons (which were actually a type of crocodile). Liu Lei later moved to Lushan, Henan, and his descendants continued to use the Liu name. In the late Shang Dynasty, King Wu Ding conquered the ancient state of Shiwei, located in what is now Huaxian, Henan, and granted the title of ruler of Shiwei to another descendant of Liu Lei. Their title was reduced from duke to count, and they came to be known as the Tang-Du clan. The ancient state of Du was located northeast of present-day Chang’an, Shaanxi, and was the homeland of the descendants of Shennong. The Du tree was revered as a sacred tree, hence the name “Du.” During the reign of King Xuan of Zhou, Du Bo was unjustly killed, and some of his descendants fled; those who stayed in Ducheng became the Du clan. This branch is considered the most authentic lineage of the Du clan.

2. From the Jiang Clan: Descendants of Shennong. It is said that during the Shang Dynasty, there was already a state of Du, which was also a descendant of Shennong. The Du tree was considered sacred, and the state was named after it. At the end of the Shang Dynasty, when the Zhou Dynasty rose to power, the people of Du submitted to the Zhou. There are no historical records of descendants of the Jiang clan with the Du surname; they may have been fully assimilated into the Qi-Du clan.

3. From the adoption of other surnames by individuals from other clans or ethnic groups:

The founder of the Du clan is Du Bo, a descendant of Emperor Yao and Liu Lei. In ancient times, Emperor Shun granted the title of Marquis of Tang to Dan Zhu, a son of Yao. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, the descendants of Dan Zhu were nobles. In the early Zhou Dynasty, the state of Tang refused to honor the reigning emperor, so Duke Dan of Tang was overthrown by the regent, Duke Dan of Zhou, who then granted the title to Dan Zhu’s brother, Shu Yu. The descendants of the original ruler of Tang were relocated to Ducheng and adopted the Du surname.

Migration and Spread

During the Pre-Qin period, the Du clan was primarily active in Shaanxi. By the Qin and Han dynasties, they had spread to Henan, Shanxi, Hubei, Sichuan, and Shandong. By the Tang Dynasty, the Du clan was present in both regions north and south of the Yangtze River. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, they also appeared in Taiwan. During the Song Dynasty, there were approximately 540,000 people with the Du surname, accounting for about 0.7% of the national population, making it the 29th most common surname. The main concentrations were in Hebei, Sichuan, and Shandong, accounting for 64% of the total Du population; Henan and Shaanxi followed. Hebei had the largest population of Du people (22.7%).

During the Ming Dynasty, the Du population was around 380,000, ranking 60th among the most common surnames, with a focus in Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu (35%). The overall distribution pattern remained relatively stable during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, with migration mainly from the north to the southeast.

Today, the Du clan has a population of nearly 5.2 million, making it the 47th most common surname in China, accounting for about 0.41% of the national population. The main concentrations are in Hebei, Henan, Liaoning, and Hubei (31.5%), followed by Shandong, Sichuan, Guangxi, Anhui, Gansu, and Guangdong (34%). Hebei has the largest number of Du people (9.4%).

Famous Individuals with the Du Surname

• Du Fu: (712–770), courtesy name Zimei, also known as the Old Man of Shaoling, was from Gong County (present-day Gongyi, Henan). He was deeply concerned about the welfare of his country and its people. His approximately 1,500 poems have been preserved and are highly esteemed in Chinese classical poetry. He is often referred to as the “Sage of Poetry,” and his influence on Chinese literature is profound. Later poets said, “No one surpasses Du Fu in his dedication to the people” (from the “Zaijing Hall Collection”). Du Fu is revered as the “Sage of Poetry,” and his works are known as “poetic history.”
• Du Mu: (803–852), courtesy name Muzhi, also known as the Hermit of Fanchuan, was from Jingzhao Wannian (present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi). He was a poet of the Tang Dynasty and is sometimes called “Little Du” to distinguish him from Du Fu. Together with Li Shangyin, they are known as “Little Li and Du.”