The Chu Family Name#

Family Name: Chu, Pronunciation: chǔ

Distribution of the Chu Family Name#

Henan Commandery: Established by Emperor Gao of the Han Dynasty. The administrative center was located about 30 miles northeast of present-day Luoyang, Henan Province. The commandery was situated in the area around present-day Shangqiu, Henan Province.

Origins of the Chu Family Name#

The origin of the "Chu" family name can be traced to several sources:

1. It originates from the descendants of Chu Shi during the Spring and Autumn Period. They adopted the official title as their family name. According to "Tongzhi·Shizhu Lüe·Yi Guan Wei Shi," they were descendants of the Yin (Shang) dynasty. Song Gong's son, Xia, was granted a fief in Chu, and because of his virtues, he was honored with the title "Chu Shi," and thus the family name was derived from this title.

2. During the Zhou Dynasty, there was a place named Chu, and the residents took the name of the place as their family name. Another simple explanation is that the family name came from the name of the place where they lived. According to "Xingzi Xunyuan," there was a place called Chu in ancient times, and the local residents adopted this as their family name. The "Zuo Zhuan" also mentions a Chu Shi Pavilion south of Luoyang County, and the "Hou Han·Jun Guo Zhi" records a Chu Shi Canal in Luoyang. Both sources support the idea that people living in Chu during the Zhou Dynasty took the name of the place as their family name.

3. The family name could also stem from the surname "Zi." It is said to be a descendant of Song Gong's son, Xia, from the Spring and Autumn Period, who took the name of the place where he lived. According to "Wanxing Tongpu" and "Tongzhi·Shizhu Lüe," the Chu family descended from the royal lineage of the Yin and Shang dynasties. Xia, with the courtesy name Zishi, was granted a fief in Chu. Because of his virtues, he was called "Chu Shi," and his descendants adopted this name.

4. The family name could also be derived from a person's official position. During the Spring and Autumn Period, countries such as Song, Wei, and Zheng had officials named "Chu Shi," who were in charge of market trade. It was common for people to adopt the official title as their family name. Descendants of these officials often took the name "Chu Shi," which later became simplified to "Chu."

Ancestral Founder of the Chu Family Name#

Zi Xia: According to "Tongzhi·Shizhu Lüe·Yi Guan Wei Shi," Zi Xia, a son of Song Gong from the Spring and Autumn Period, was granted a fief in Chu (present-day Luoyang, Henan Province). Due to his noble character, he was respected as "Chu Shi." This title referred to an official in charge of markets. His descendants adopted the name "Chu" as their family name.

Migration and Distribution#

The Chu family name is not among the top 100 most common family names in mainland China or Taiwan. In the Song version of the "Baijiaxing" (List of Hundred Family Names), the Chu family name ranks 11th. There are two theories about the origin of the Chu family name: one is that it originated in Henan, and the other is that it came from a place named Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. Regardless of which theory is correct, it is certain that the Chu family name has its roots in Henan.

The Purity of the Chu Family Lineage#

One of the notable features of the Chu family is the purity of their lineage. There are no records of the Chu family name being granted or assumed by others. Chinese people with the Chu family name can be proud of their unadulterated ancestry. Unlike some other prominent families, which may have mixed their lineage over time due to various reasons, the Chu family has maintained its purity. This is particularly significant because there are no records of the Chu name being given to others or assumed by others. The Chu family members can be confident that their ancestors were pure Han Chinese. Another point of pride is the many distinguished individuals with the Chu family name throughout history, such as Chu Xiuzhi, one of the "Eighteen Scholars" of the Tang Dynasty, and Chu Suiliang, a renowned minister and calligrapher.

Famous People with the Chu Family Name#

• Chu Shaosun: A scholar and historian of the Western Han Dynasty, who served as a doctor to Emperors Yuan and Cheng. He contributed to the compilation of Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian." His contributions are reflected in the phrases "Mr. Chu said" found in the modern version of the "Records of the Grand Historian."
• Chu Suiliang (596–658): A calligrapher from Qiantang (present-day Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province) during the early Tang Dynasty. He was well-versed in literature and history and was skilled in regular and official script, influenced by the styles of Zhong Yao and Wang Xizhi. He held various official positions and later resigned in protest against the emperor's decision to depose the empress and reinstate Wu Zetian. He died of grief and indignation.
• Chu Tingzhang: A scholar from Changzhou, Jiangsu, during the Qing Dynasty. He passed the imperial examinations in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign and served as a scholar in the Hanlin Academy. He specialized in phonetic studies and authored works such as "Xiyu Tuzhi" and "Xiyu Tongwen Zhi."