Zhu is the pinyin romanization of four Chinese surnames: 朱, 祝, 竺, and 諸. It is spelled Chu in the Wade-Giles romanization system mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
The most common of the four, 朱, was the surname of the Ming Dynasty emperors. Today it is the 13th most common surname in the People's Republic of China, with a population of over fifteen million.
Origin and distribution
The Zhu (朱) family originated from the minor state of Zhu (邾, later renamed Zou) (p. 43, Chao) in present-day southwestern Shandong Province. King Wu of Zhou granted Cao Xie, an alleged descendant of the Yellow Emperor through his grandson Zhuanxu, control over the small state. He was a vassal ruler under the Lu (state) (魯) and held the feudal title Viscount (子), but later held the title Duke of Zhu (邾公) during the Spring and Autumn period. (p. 138, Li Chi; p. 239, Tan & p. 306, Wu).
The ancestral surname (姓) of the ruling family was Cao. (p. 144, Li Xueqin). The state of Zou was conquered and annexed by the state of Chu during the reign of King Xuan of Chu (楚宣王) (369–340 BC). (p. 43, Chao). The ruling family and its descendants adopted Zhu (朱) as their surname in memory of their former state of Zhu (邾). (p. 43, Chao & p. 239, Tan).
During the Ming Dynasty, some Zhus moved to Taiwan, and others later migrated to Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas. The clan is also found in Korea and is known as: 주 (朱; Ju, Joo); it is the 32nd most common name in Korea though it is combined with the Zhou (周) surname.
Zhu has been one of the most influential clans in Chinese history. Zhu (朱) is technically a branch of the Cao (曹) surname, but now surpasses the parent ranking 13th and 27th respectively in terms of population size. [1]
Zhu Jun (Han Dynasty), politician during the late Han Dynasty; also a character in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Zhu Ling, General of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period
Zhu Zhi, military general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China
Zhu Huan,military general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China
Zhu Ju,military general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China
Zhu Ran, military general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China
Zhu Can, an agrarian rebel leader during the disintegration of the Sui Dynasty
Zhu Jingze, a prominent official during the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty
Zhu Mei, a prominent general during the Tang Dynasty
Zhu Pu, an official of the Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong
Zhu Jin, a warlord in the late Tang Dynasty
Zhu Ci, general and military governor under the Tang Dynasty
Zhu Tao, general under the Tang Dynasty;
Zhu Kerong, grandson of Zhu Tao and military governor under the Tang Dynasty
Zhu Yansi,general of the Tang Dynasty
Zhu Xicai, general and military governor under the Tang Dynasty;
Zhu Quanzhong, founder of the Later Liang,
Zhu Yougui, second emperor of the Later Liang;
Zhu Youzhen, third emperor of the Later Liang;
Zhu Yuanzhang, Founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
Zhu Yunwen, Second Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
Zhu Biao, the Hongwu Emperor's first son and Crown Prince
Zhu Quan, Prince of Ning, Seventeenth son of the Hongwu Emperor and younger half-brother to the Yongle Emperor; military commander, historian and playwright
Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng, a sixth-generation descendant of the Hongxi Emperor, the fourth emperor of the Ming Dynasty; a musician and one of the first people to describe equal temperament in music in 1584
Zhu Chenhao, Prince of Ning; 5th generation descendant of Zhu Quan, Prince of Ning; a rebel Prince
Zhu Zhifan, Prince of Anhua; a rebel Prince
Zhu Changqing, Prince of Huai, Ming pretender reigning as Emperor Dongwu of the Southern Ming Dynasty
Hongguang Emperor, born Zhu Yousong, Prince of Fu; Ming pretender and emperor of the Southern Ming Dynasty which resisted the Qing Dynasty
Longwu Emperor, born Zhu Yujian, Prince of Tang; Ming pretender and emperor of the Southern Ming Dynasty
Yongli Emperor, born Zhu Youlang, Prince of Gui; Ming pretender and emperor of the Southern Ming Dynasty
Prince of Lu, born Zhu Yihai; a leader of the Southern Ming Dynasty
Prince of Ningjing, born Zhu Shugui; ninth-generation descendant of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty of China, via the line of his 15th son, Zhu Zhi, the Prince of Liao; a leader of the Southern Ming Dynasty
Koxinga whose title literally means Lord with the Imperial Surname; he was born Zheng Chenggong but given the right to bear the imperial surname, Zhu, by the Longwu Emperor, a pretender to the then collapsing Ming Dynasty, for his noteworthy loyalist efforts; Koxinga founded the short-lived Kingdom of Taiwan
Government, Politics and Military
Zhu Binhou, a military aviation pioneer and WWI veteran pilot.
Zhu Maichen, an impoverished student working as woodcutter; his wife divorced him to remarry a richer man; subsequently he became a provincial governor under Emperor Wu of Han; he rejected his ex-wife's subsequent attempts at reconciliation and is credited with the Chinese proverb: "Poured water cannot be retrieved". His biography is recorded in Volume 64 of the Book of Han.
Zhu Youqian, a warlord in the late Tang Dynasty, he was falsely accused of plotting a rebellion and Emperor Zhuangong put him and his entire family to death
Zhu Hongzhang, a loyalist general during the Qing Dynasty; he helped put down the Taiping Rebellion
Zhu Zhixin, Revolutionary and comrade of Sun Yat-sen who named Zhixin High School after his dead comrade
Zhu Shaoliang, general in the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China
Sir Moilin Jean Ah-Chuen (Chu Moi-Lin 朱梅麟), Hakka Chinese Mauritian politician; First Chinese member, Legislative Council, 1949; Minister of Local Government, 1967–1976; Second Hakka after Sun Yatsen to have his portrait printed on the bills of a country's currency
Marie Madeleine Ah-Chuen (朱志筠), Hakka Chinese Mauritian diplomat; Mauritius' first ambassador to China, 1999–2000
Zhu Lühe, a politician and judicial officer in the Republic of China; he became an important politician during the Reformed Government of the Republic of China and the Wang Jingwei regime
Zhu Shen, a politician and public prosecutor in the Republic of China; he became an important politician during the Provisional Government of the Republic of China and the Wang Jingwei regime
Zhu De, co-founder of the Chinese Red Army, forerunner of the People's Liberation Army
Zhu Qi, general of the People's Liberation Army; currently commander of the Beijing Military Region
Zhu Jiahua, famous politician of the Republic of China
Zhu Rongji, former PRC Premier; he is a direct descendant of the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
David S.C. Chu, United States Under Secretary of Defense appointed by George W. Bush
Jim Chu, Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police Department
Zhu Qizhen, former Vice Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States
Steven Chu, the 12th United States Secretary of Energy.
Eric Chu, a former Vice Premier of the Republic of China; subsequently the first Mayor of New Taipei.
Choo Leong Huat, Singapore Crown Service government official, descendant of the Straits-Chinese.
Choo Han Teck, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore.
Ju Hala (Sinicized: 朱氏), a Manchu clan during the Qing Dynasty, perhaps founded by and composed of assimilated Han Chinese of the Zhu surname. One example might be Zhu Guozhi (朱國治), a Chinese Bannerman in the Eight Banners during the Qing Dynasty who was appointed the Governor of Yunnan. He was captured by Wu Sangui in 1674 and died cursing the rebels. In 1742, he was included into the Temple of Patriots. Zhu Hongzhang could possibly be regarded as another example. The Marquis of Extended Grace and his heirs, who were the officially designated heirs of the Ming dynasty by the Qing dynasty, were inducted into the Plain White Banner of the Eight Banners system.
Philosophy and Religion
Zhu Xi, Song Dynasty scholar and main proponent for Neo-Confucianism; he was elevated to a position of honor in the Temple of Confucius several decades after his death and recognized as the third sage of Confucianism after Confucius and Mencius during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
Zhu Qianzhi, Chinese intellectual and historian; influenced Mao Zedong
Zhu Da, renowned painter and calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty; agnatic descendant of Zhu Quan, Prince of Ning
Zhu Dake, Chinese scholar, cultural critic and essayist.
Zhu Ziqing, renowned contemporary writer and poet
Zhu Jian'er, a prominent Chinese composer.
Chu Yibing, one of the most influential cellists in the world.
Zhu Wen, contemporary writer and director.
Science and Technology
Zhu Shijie, one of the greatest Chinese mathematicians
Steven Chu, one of three co-recipients of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics; 12th US Secretary of Energy
Chu Ching-wu, renowned physicist; expert on superconductivity
Coching Chu or Zhu Kezhen (竺可楨), prominent Chinese meteorologist, geologist and educator
Gilbert Chu, professor of medicine and biochemistry at Stanford Medical School; older brother of Steven Chu, the 12th US Secretary of Energy
Zhu Xiping, professor of mathematics at Sun Yat-sen University; winner of the 2004 Morningside Medal of Mathematics at the Third International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians (ICCM)
Zhu Qingshi, famous chemist, member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He was the former president of the University of Science and Technology of China. He was also a delegate of the 8th and 9th National People's Congress, and the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
David Chu, Taiwanese-American founder of Nautica, men's designer outerwear company
Zhu Baoguo, Chinese billionaire founder of Joincare Pharmaceutical Group Industrial
Zhu Gongshan, Chinese billionaire founder of GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited, an energy supplier in China
Zhu Huiming, Chinese billionaire founder of Hangzhou Binjiang Real Estate Group
Zhu Jun (businessman), Chinese industrialist and businessman; Chairman of Nasdaq listed company, the Nine City (NASDAQ: NCTY); also chairman of the Shanghai Shenhua football club.
Zhu Mengyi (朱孟依), Chairman of Guangdong Zhujiang Invest, Hopson Development
Zhu Xingliang, Chinese billionaire founder of Suzhou Gold Mantis Construction Decoration
Zhu Xinli, Chinese multi-millionaire founder and chairman of China Huiyuan Juice Group
Zhu Yicai, Chinese billionaire founder and chairman of China Yurun Group
Zhu Yunlai, CEO of China International Capital Corp; he is the son of Zhu Rongji, former Premier of the People's Republic of China, and a direct descendant of the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
Abehymann Zhu, Managing Director of APX World Logistics Inc., a Shanghai-based 3PL provider formed in July 1993
Sports and Entertainment
Alex "Xpecial" Chu, American League of Legends player
Choo Hoey, Singaporean musician and conductor; formerly Music Director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Ken Chu, F4 member
Dadawa, real name Zhu Zheqin; singer/songwriter/indie producer, who is well known for her vocalization
Julie Chu, U.S. Olympic Team hockey player
Jon M. Chu, American film director and screenwriter
Loletta Chu, Ethnic Chinese from Myanmar; winner of the 1977 Miss Hong Kong Pageant
Athena Chu 朱茵, Hong Kong Actress
Zhu Jianhua, P.R.C. Olympic high jumper
Zhu Lin, a Chinese badminton player
Zhu Ling (volleyball), a Chinese volleyball player who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics
Chu Mu-Yen 朱木炎, Hakka Chinese; Gold medalist, Taekwondo, 2004 Athens Olympics; Champion, World Taekwondo Championships, 2003
Zhu Xiaolin, a Chinese long-distance runner, who specialises in marathon running; won the Xiamen International Marathon and was third at the 2010 Rotterdam Marathon. She represented China at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Zhu Zhu (actress), Chinese actress and singer who rose to fame as a host for MTV China
Morgan Chu, an intellectual property attorney and one of the first Asian Americans to lead a major U.S. law, Irell & Manella LLP; younger brother of Steven Chu, the 12th US Secretary of Energy
Zhu Ling (poisoning victim), victim of an unsolved 1995 thallium poisoning case in Beijing, China
Zhu Min (economist), Chinese economist and is Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
Chu Van An 朱文安, a Confucian, teacher, physician and high-ranking mandarin of the Trần Dynasty in Đại Việt
Chau Van Tiep 朱文接, an 18th-century Vietnamese military commander, best known for his role as a general of Nguyễn Ánh
Ju Ji-hoon 朱智勳, a popular model and actor from South Korea
