The Liu Family#

Surname: Liu, pronounced as liǔ

Distribution of the Liu Family#

According to the Guangyun (a classical Chinese dictionary), the Liu surname originated from the area of Hedong. The Liu family's ancestral home (junwang) was mainly in Hedong Commandery. This commandery was established in the early Qin dynasty and governed the southwestern region of the Jin state. Its administrative center was located in what is now Xia County, east of the Yellow River in Shanxi Province. During the Eastern Jin dynasty, the capital was moved to Puban (now Puzhou Town, Yongji, Shanxi), which was the time when Liu Yu defeated the Later Qin dynasty. In the Sui and Tang dynasties, it was known as Puzhou Hedong Commandery, and later Hedong County was established with Puban as its administrative center. During the Ming dynasty, Hedong County was merged into Puzhou.

Origins of the Liu Surname#

There are three main origins of the Liu surname:

1. It originated from the Ji surname, descending from Zhan Qin of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, who took the name of his hometown as his surname.
2. It originated from the Mi surname, specifically from King Huai of Chu, a descendant of King Yi of Chu. They took the name of their capital city as their surname.
3. Some Liu surnames came from name changes or were adopted by ethnic minorities. For example, Cao Fengchun changed his surname to Liu during the late Ming dynasty; another notable figure is Liu Jingting, and Liu Rushi, who was originally surnamed Yang.
4. Ethnic groups such as the Manchu, Mongolian, Yi, Miao, and Shui also have the Liu surname.

Migration and Distribution

The Liu surname first flourished in the northern part of Henan and western Shandong. In 256 BCE, the State of Lu was conquered by the State of Chu, and some Liu people moved to Chu territory. After the Qin dynasty conquered the six states, some Liu people settled in Shanxi. Over time, a prominent and influential family lineage emerged in Hedong (the area east of the Yellow River in Shanxi). For a long period, Hedong remained the center of the Liu surname's development. Many famous individuals from the Liu family came from this region. According to the New Book of Tang: Genealogy of Prime Ministers, at the end of the Qin dynasty, Liu An, a descendant of Liu Xiahuai, began to live in Jiezhou (now Jiezhou Town, Yuncheng, Shanxi). Liu An's grandson, Liu Kui, served as the prime minister of the Western Han dynasty; Liu Feng, the sixth-generation descendant of Kui, held the position of Guanglu Xun in the Eastern Han dynasty. Liu Gui, the sixth-generation descendant of Feng, was the Minister of Personnel in the Jin dynasty, and his son, Liu Jingyou, was a court official. Liu Jingyou's son, Liu Chun, served as the Minister of Rites and the governor of Pingyang. Another notable figure from this lineage is Liu Shilong, a general of the Liu Song dynasty, whose five sons all held high positions in the Southern dynasties.

The Liu surname spread to Sichuan, Guangxi, Fujian, and other regions before the Tang dynasty. During the Tang dynasty, it became particularly prominent in the south and became widely distributed. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Chen Zheng and Chen Yuanguang from Gushi, Henan, moved to Fujian and brought Liu family soldiers with them. Liu Gongquan, a famous calligrapher from Huayuan, Jingzhao (now Yao County, Shaanxi), was granted the title of Duke of Hedong. He, along with his brother Liu Gongchuo (Minister of Personnel) and nephew Liu Zhongying, were known as the "Three Heroes of One Family." During the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, many Liu people came from Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Fujian, while the Liu surname in the north became less prominent. In the Ming dynasty, the Liu family was one of the groups that were relocated due to the relocation policy. During the Qing dynasty, some Liu people from Fujian and Guangdong moved to Taiwan and Singapore. Today, the Liu surname is most common in Shandong, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan provinces. The sixth national census showed that the Liu surname ranks 130th in popularity in China.

Hall Names of the Liu Family

Common hall names for the Liu family include "Hedong Hall" and "Yusi Hall."

Famous People with the Liu Surname**#

• Liu Gongquan: A famous calligrapher from Jingzhao, Huayuan during the Tang dynasty. His style of regular script was strong and graceful, with strict proportions. His works include the Sentencing Pear Tablet Inscription, Xuanmi Tower, Diamond Sutra, and Shence Army Stele.
• Liu Zongyuan: A renowned writer and philosopher from Hedong during the Tang dynasty. One of the "Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties," his prose was known for its sharpness and profound meaning. His works include the Collected Works of Liu Hedong.
• Liu Jingting (1587–1670?): A famous storyteller from Qinzhou during the late Ming dynasty. He changed his surname to Liu to avoid enemies and spent his life traveling. His storytelling skills were so captivating that people would listen to him for hours without getting tired.
• Liu Yong (980–1053): A famous poet from the Northern Song dynasty, originally named Sanbian and also known as Liu Qi. He served as an official in the military.
• Liu Rushi (1618–1664): A female poet and painter from the early Qing dynasty. She was originally surnamed Yang and married the scholar Q