The Shui Clan#

Clan Name: Shui, pronounced as "shuǐ"

Regions Where the Shui Clan Is Found#

• Lin'an Commandery, Zhejiang Province: Established during the Three Kingdoms period, this commandery corresponded to the area from Lin'an in Zhejiang Province to Yixing in Jiangsu Province today. Its administrative center was Wucheng, which is now part of Wu County, Zhejiang Province.
• Lin'an Prefecture: In the third year of the Jianyan era of the Song Dynasty (1129 AD), Hangzhou was promoted to Lin'an Prefecture. During the Yuan Dynasty, the southern route, which originally led to Tonghai, was renamed after the word "Lin'an" used by Kublai Khan. This route governed a large area south of Tonghai, and the administrative center remained in Tonghai until the early Ming Dynasty, when it was moved to Jianshui.
• Lin'an was also a geographical name; in addition to the small Southern Song court in Hangzhou being called Lin'an Prefecture, there was another place named Lin'an County west of Hangzhou.

Origins of the Shui Clan#

The origin of the "Shui" clan name can be traced back to several possibilities:

1. The name likely refers to people whose occupation was related to water management, similar to other clans like He (River), Huai (Huai River), and Hu (Lake). During the Qing Dynasty, there were many members of the Shui clan in Yinxian County, Zhejiang Province. Some may have originated from the Shuiqiu clan.
2. The Shui clan name could have come from the Si surname; during the ancient times of Yu the Great, who controlled water management, his descendants adopted this surname as their hereditary title. According to the "Baijiaxing" (Hundred Surnames), there was a person named Shuisu from Yinxian County, Zhejiang Province, whose ancestors were descendants of Yu the Great and settled in Kuaiji, adopting "Shui" as their surname.
3. In ancient times, people often adopted the name of one of the five elements (water, wood, fire, earth, metal) as their surname. The five tribes mentioned (Shu, Huo, Tu, Jin, and Shui) were powerful and influential, each worshipping their respective deities.
4. The Shui clan could also be a simplified form of the ancient clan name Shuiqiu.
5. Some ancestors of the Shui clan lived near water and adopted the name "Shui" as their surname.

Ancestral Figure of the Shui Clan#

The ancestral figure of the Shui clan is Gonggong, a figure from ancient mythology who was responsible for water management during the reign of the Yellow Emperor. His descendants adopted "Shui" as their surname.

Migration and Distribution#

The Shui clan is not among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. According to research by Xu Shiyeh from the Qing Dynasty, there were members of the Shui clan in Yinxian County during the Ming Dynasty, whose ancestors were descendants of Yu the Great who settled in Kuaiji. To this day, many people with the Shui surname still live in the Kuaiji area. The Shui clan has a very ancient origin and is said to be descended from Yu the Great's descendants, who served as water officials. Over time, the clan spread to various regions, especially in Wuxing and Lin'an counties of Zhejiang Province, where it became a prominent clan.

Hall Names of the Shui Clan#

Common hall names for the Shui clan include "Benyuan Hall" (Original Source Hall).

Couplets for the Shui Clan Ancestral Hall#

• Four-character couplets:
  • "Originating from the Si surname; Honored in Wuxing." (Alluding to the clan's origin and historical prominence in Wuxing.)
  • "The benevolence of Wuxing; The reputation of Siming." (Referring to the clan's roots in Wuxing and Siming counties.)
  • "Upright and wise in governance; Achievements recorded in historical texts." (Honoring the clan's reputation for integrity and governance.)
  • "Eminent ancestors from the era of Gonggong." (Referencing the clan's connection to the mythological figure Gonggong.)

Five-character couplets:**#

• "An ancestor listed in the history of painting; A figure celebrated in calligraphy." (Referencing the Yuan Dynasty artist Shuidongshan and the Ming Dynasty painter Shisizhong.)
• "Virtue surpasses the other four elements; Kindness and wisdom are deeply cherished." (Emphasizing the clan's moral values.)

Famous People with the Shui Surname#

• Shuixiang Mo: A prominent official from the Ming Dynasty who served as the magistrate of Shaowu and was known for his integrity and wisdom.
• Shuisu Min: A well-respected official from the Ming Dynasty who managed lakes and rivers.
• Shui Jia Yin: A scholar and military strategist from the Ming Dynasty who contributed to suppressing rebellions.