The Lu Clan#

Surname: Lu, pronounced as “lù”

Distribution of the Lu Clan#

• The Lu Clan is found in the area around Luoyang City, Henan Province;
• The northwest plain of Shandong Province;
• Wuzhi County on the north bank of the Yellow River within Henan Province;
• Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province.

Origins of the Lu Clan#

1. According to legend, during the reign of Emperor Yao, Wu Hui served as the Fire God (Zhu Rong), and his son was named Lu Zhong. Since Lu Zhong came from the Lu area, his descendants adopted “Lu” as their surname.
2. During the Warring States period, a descendant of Tian Wan, King Xuan of Qi, named Lu Tong, was granted a fief in Lu Xiang, the same place where Lu Zhong lived. This branch of the Lu Clan is considered the authentic lineage of the Lu Clan in Shandong.
3. The Lu Clan also originated from the state of Lu Hun. During the Spring and Autumn period, Lu Hun was conquered by the state of Jin in 525 BC. After the fall of the state, its people adopted the name of their former country as their surname.
4. Some members of the Lu Clan changed their surname from another ethnic group. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, many Xianbei people from the northern regions changed their surname from “Bu Lu Gu” to “Lu”.

Hall Names

• San Wei Tang (Hall of the Three fears): This hall is named in honor of Lu Yun, a first-rank general in the Qing Dynasty who was granted the title of “Zhen Gu Gong” (a noble title not within the traditional eight-rank system). During the Yongzheng period, Emperor Yongzheng showed his respect for this loyal general by posthumously elevating him to the rank of “Zhen Gu Gong” and granting him special burial rites. This hall emphasizes the importance of fearing the authority of heaven, respecting national laws, and satisfying the will of the people.
• Zhong Lie Tang (Hall of Loyalty and Valor): Lu Xiufu, the Left Prime Minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, refused to surrender to the Yuan dynasty and established the Prince of Yi in Fuzhou. When the Yuan troops approached, Lu Xiufu killed his wife and son and then committed suicide by jumping into the sea.
• Chu Ba Tang (Hall of Overcoming Tyranny): Lu Jia, a prominent figure in the Han Dynasty, assisted Liu Bang in overthrowing the Qin dynasty and establishing the Han dynasty. He was known for his eloquence and served as an envoy to Nanyue twice. The Lu Clan also uses these names as hall names, referring to their historical contributions.

Migration and Distribution The Lu Clan, which originated in present-day Shandong, and those who changed their surname from “Bu Lu Gu” during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, have become the two main branches of the Lu Clan. These branches are primarily found in Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, and other provinces. Many members of the Lu Clan in these regions are descendants of Lu Tong. In Taiwan, the Lu Clan ranks 108th among all surnames, with 439 households, according to the “Taiwan Province General History: People’s Records: Clan Section” (compiled by Sheng Qing Yi and published by the Literature Committee in 1973). According to the “Taiwan Region’s Top 100 Surnames: Origins and History” (compiled by Lin Tianfu, He Jinci, He Qinteng, and Lin Jinshan, published by the Taiwan Province Name and Origin Research Society in 1990), the Lu Clan ranks 94th. This indicates a significant increase in the number of Lu Clan members in Taiwan since 1973. The book also provides information about the migration of the Lu Clan to Fujian and Guangdong, as well as their distribution across Taiwanese counties and cities, with the most concentrated populations in Taipei City, Kaohsiung County, Taipei County, Kaohsiung City, and Yilan County.