The Yu Clan#

Surname: Yu, pronounced as “yǔ”

Geographic Distribution of the Yu Clan#

Dongxiang, Gansu; Linyi, Shandong

Origins of the Yu Clan#

1. The surname “Yu” originates from the Si clan, stemming from Dayu, one of the ancient “Three Sovereigns.” This is an example of a surname derived from the name of a ancestor.
2. It may also originate from the state of Hu during the Spring and Autumn period, which was a vassal state of the State of Chu; in this case, the surname was derived from the name of the state.
3. The Yu clan within the Hui ethnic group adopted the surname as a result of Sinicization. The Hui Yu clan is mainly distributed in the Hengkou area of Ankang City, Shaanxi Province, China.
4. Additionally, the surname has been adopted by the Manchu people through Sinicization.

Ancestor of the Yu Clan Yu the Great of the Xia Dynasty. His original surname was Si, and his given name was Wenzheng. When Emperor Yao appointed Gun to control the floods, Gun used a method of blocking and damming, but it was unsuccessful, leading to his exile and death on Yushan. Emperor Shun then appointed Yu to take on the task. Yu worked tirelessly for thirteen years, traveling throughout the nine provinces, avoiding his own home three times during that period. He successfully opened nine major mountains, dredged nine large lakes and rivers, and defined the boundaries of the nine provinces, ultimately completing the great task of bringing peace to the land. For this, he was deeply loved by the people. After Shun’s death, Yu ascended to the throne, establishing the Xia Dynasty, and thus became known as Yu the Great of Xia. His descendants adopted his name as their surname, honoring him as the ancestor of the Yu clan.

Migration and Distribution As of January 2009, the Yu clan did not rank among the top 300 most common surnames in China. In the Song Dynasty’s “Hundred Family Surnames,” it was listed as the 107th most prominent clan. The Yu clan initially became a prominent family in Longxi County and was known as the “Longxi Outlook.” According to historical documents, at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, members of the Yu clan moved from Yujiaxiang, outside Changmen in Suzhou, Jiangsu, to Xinghua Dongxiang (about two kilometers north of Daiyao), where they gradually formed the natural village of Yuzhuang. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty (1403–1424), the Yu clan faced disaster, and almost all members of the clan were wiped out. A six-year-old boy named Yudoubao managed to survive by hiding in a rice-measuring basket, and was later raised by his maternal aunt. He is revered as the重新-established ancestor of the clan. By the mid-Ming Dynasty, the Yu clan in Yuzhuang began to thrive. One of their descendants, Yu Long (styled Zihua), was a skilled poet and writer who had close relationships with the “Number One Scholar and Prime Minister” Li Chunfang and other renowned figures, leaving behind many works that have been passed down through the generations. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, a prominent member of the ninth generation, Yu Zhiding, a renowned portrait artist, brought fame to the clan.

Notable People with the Yu Surname

• Yu Xian: A person from the Jin Dynasty who was awarded the title of Military Governor of Yisheng and Deputy Governor of Qinzhou for his military achievements. He led 200 soldiers to defend Xiangyuan. When the Yuan army attacked with thousands of infantry and cavalry, they were unable to take the city four times. Due to internal strife, the city fell, and Yu Xian was captured and died without yielding.
• Yu Zhiding: A painter from the Qing Dynasty who served as a court painter during the Kangxi period. He was particularly skilled in portrait painting, creating elegant and graceful works that were considered the best of his time. Many famous individuals’ portraits were created by his hand.