Lu (surname 盧)

Origins

According to the Tang Dynasty genealogy text Yuanhe Xing Zuan, the surname Lu 卢 originated in the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period, and descended from Gao Xi (高傒). Gao Xi was the grandson of Prince Gao, who was a son of Duke Wen of Qi (reigned 815–804 BC) and a descendant of Lü Shang, the founder of Qi. When the Qi ruler Wuzhi was murdered in 685 BC, Gao Xi, then prime minister of Qi, helped to install Prince Xiaobai on the throne, to be known as Duke Huan of Qi, one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period. In gratitude, Duke Huan enfeoffed Gao Xi at the city of Lu 卢 (in modern Changqing District, Shandong province), and many of Gao's descendants adopted Lu 卢 as their surname. This is the main origin of the surname, and Gao Xi is regarded as the founding ancestor of the Lu 卢 surname.

According to the Song Dynasty encyclopedia Tongzhi, there was a second source of the Lu 卢 surname from the State of Qi. A branch of Duke Huan of Qi's descendants had the surname Lupu (卢蒲), which was later shortened to Lu.

A separate source of Lu was the minor state of Luzi 庐子 or Lu 庐 (in modern Anhui province) during the Spring and Autumn period. The descendants of Jili (戢黎), a nobleman of Lu, adopted the name of their state as their surname. Lu 庐 was later simplified to Lu 卢.

Later adoption

During the Xianbei Northern Wei dynasty, Emperor Xiaowen (reigned 467–499 AD) implemented a drastic policy of sinicization, ordering his own people to adopt Chinese surnames. The Tufulu (吐伏卢) and Molu (莫卢) clans of Xianbei adopted Lu as their surname. The Xianbei people have since completely assimilated into the Han Chinese.

According to the Book of Sui, Zhangchou Taiyi (章仇太翼), a native of Hejian Commandery (in modern Cangzhou, Hebei) was a famous scholar of the time. Emperor Yang of Sui granted him the surname Lu 卢. Zhangchou subsequently became known as Lu Taiyi, and was the ancestor of the prosperous Hejian Lu clan.

Fanyang Lu clan

In the fourth century BC, the throne of the Qi state was usurped by the Tian clan. Many aristocratic clans that descended from the old ruling house of Jiang, including Lu, fled the state and dispersed all over China. During the Qin Dynasty, the erudite Lu Ao (卢敖) settled in Fanyang Commandery (modern Beijing). The Fanyang Lu clan later became exceedingly prosperous. During the Jin Dynasty (265–420), the Fanyang Lu, together with the Cui clan of Boling, Wang of Taiyuan, Zheng of Xingyang, and the Li clan of Zhao, were considered the five most prominent clans in China (海内五大望族). During the Tang Dynasty, eight chancellors were surnamed Lu 卢, including several from Fanyang.

During the Tang dynasty the Li family of Zhaojun 赵郡李氏, the Cui family of Boling 博陵崔氏, the Cui family of Qinghe 清河崔氏, the Lu family of Fanyang 范陽盧氏, the Zheng family of Xingyang 荥阳郑氏, the Wang family of Taiyuan 太原王氏, and the Li family of Longxi 隴西李氏 were the seven noble families between whom marriage was banned by law. Moriya Mitsuo wrote a history of the Later Han-Tang period of the Taiyuan Wang. Among the strongest families was the Taiyuan Wang. The prohibition on marriage between the clans issued in 659 by the Gaozong Emperor was flouted by the seven families since a woman of the Boling Cui married a member of the Taiyuan Wang, giving birth to the poet Wang Wei. He was the son of Wang Chulian who in turn was the son of Wang Zhou. The marriages between the families were performed clandestinely after the prohibition was implemented on the seven families by Gaozong. Their status as "Seven Great surnames" became known during Gaozong's rule.

Notable people