/ ( or ) is an

East Asian East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea a ...

surname. pinyin: in Mandarin Chinese, in Cantonese. It is the family name of the Han dynasty emperors. The character originally meant 'kill', but is now used only as a surname. It is listed 252nd in the classic text Hundred Family Surnames. Today, it is the 4th most common surname in Mainland China as well as one of the most common surnames in the world.

Distribution

In 2019 劉 was the fourth most common surname in Mainland China. Additionally, it was the most common surname in Jiangxi province. In 2013 it was found to be the 5th most common surname, shared by 67,700,000 people or 5.1% of the population, with the province with the most people being

Shandong Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...

.中国四百大姓, 袁义达, 邱家儒, Beijing Book Co. Inc., 1 January 2013

Origin

One source is that they descend from the Qí (祁) clan of Emperor Yao. For example the founding emperor of the Han dynasty (one of China's golden ages), Liu Bang (

Emperor Gaozu of Han Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Emper ...

) was a descendant of Emperor Yao. Another origin is from the Jī (姬) clan of King Qing of Zhou. For example, , the youngest son of King Qing of Zhou, founded the and his descendants took state names as surname.

History

Liu was a place name in ancient China (located in present-day Henan). The Liu family name has two main origins from this place name. Kongjia, the fourteenth king of the Xia dynasty, was given a male and a female dragon as a reward for his obedience to the god of heaven, but could not train them, so he hired a dragon-trainer named

Liu Lei Liu Lei (; born February 1957) is a general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). He has been Political Commissar of the PLA Ground Force since December 2015, and formerly served as Political Commissar of the Lanzhou Military Region and ...

(劉累), who had learned how to train dragons from Huanlong.

was a descendant of Emperor Yao, won the admiration of King KongJia for his skill in raising dragons. In order to reward

, King KongJia granted him Liu (place) as his fief.

took the name of his fief as his family name. One day, the female dragon died unexpectedly, so

secretly chopped her up, cooked her meat, and served it to the king, who loved it so much that he demanded

to serve him the same meal again. Since

had no means of procuring more dragon meat, he fled the palace.

was the first person surnamed Liu in Chinese history, and his descendant Liu Bang founded the Han dynasty. During the Zhou dynasty, King Ding of Zhou granted Liu (place) to his younger brother Ji Jizi (姬季子) as a fief. Ji Jizi also took his fief name as his family name. Liu became a State and Ji Jizi ruled the State of Liu as Duke Kang of Liu. After more than a hundred years under the rule of the Liu family, the State of Liu was destroyed by the central government of the Zhou dynasty. Liu was the ruling family of the Han dynasty, one of the most prosperous and influential empires in Chinese history. After the Chen Sheng Wu Guang uprising overthrew the Qin, the Han dynasty was founded by Emperor Liu Bang. Later, Emperor Liu Che helped expand the Han dynasty even further, ushering in a golden age for China. The Han dynasty had 30 emperors were surnamed Liu, making it among the Chinese dynasties that had the most emperors. The Han dynasty lasted 400 years, making it one of the longest lasting Chinese empires in history. The Han is what gives its name to the Han people as well as Han characters /

Hanzi Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as ''kanji' ...

/ Chinese characters. Even after the Han dynasty, several Liu continued to hold power within China including Liu Bei (written about in

Records of the Three Kingdoms The ''Records or History of the Three Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese name as the Sanguo Zhi, is a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220 AD) and the Three Kingdoms period (220– ...

) and

Liu Yuan (Han Zhao) Liu Yuan (劉淵) (died 19 August 310), courtesy name Yuanhai (元海), formally Emperor Guangwen of Han (Zhao) (漢(趙)光文帝) was the founding emperor of the Xiongnu-led Han Zhao dynasty during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of China. Family ...

. Over history, several non-Han Chinese people have converted to the Liu surname, including

Xiongnu The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 209 ...

and Turks.

Historical figures

* , son of King Qing of Zhou and founder of the * Liu Bang, Founder of the Han dynasty as Emperor Gaozu of Han * Liu Jiao ( King of Chu), the younger brother of Liu Bang and famous scholar * Liu Ying, Second Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Heng, Fifth Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Qi, Sixth Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Che, Seventh Emperor of the Han dynasty known for expanding the Han dynasty to its fullest extent and for a long reign of 54 years * Liu An (King of Huainan), advisor to his nephew, Emperor Wu of Han. Best known for editing the (139 BCE) Huainanzi compendium of Daoist, Confucianist, and Legalist teachings * Liu Sheng (King of Zhongshan), the direct ancestor of the

Shu Han Han (; 221–263), known in historiography as Shu Han ( ) or Ji Han ( "Junior Han"), or often shortened to Shu (; pinyin: ''shŭ'' <

Liu Xiang, government official, scholar, and author of who lived during the Han dynasty *

Liu Fuling Emperor Zhao of Han (Liu Fuling 劉弗陵; 94 BC – 5 June 74 BC) was the emperor of the Western Han dynasty from 87 to 74 BC. Emperor Zhao was the youngest son of Emperor Wu of Han. By the time he was born, Emperor Wu was already 62. Prince Fu ...

, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu He, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Xun, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Shi, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Ao, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Xin, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Kan, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Xin, astronomer, historian, and editor during the Han dynasty * Liu Xuan, Emperor Gengshi of the Han dynasty *

Liu Yan (Xin dynasty) Liu Yan (; died 23 AD), courtesy name Bosheng (), was a Chinese general of one of the major uprisings against the Xin dynasty and its emperor, Wang Mang. Although he was militarily successful, he died early as a victim of political intrigue. His ...

, general and older brother of Liu Xiu * Liu Xiu, The restorer of the Han dynasty and the founding emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty * Liu Dai, politician during the Eastern Han dynasty * Liu Du (warlord), warlord and politician during the Eastern Han dynasty * Liu Yan (Han dynasty warlord), politician and warlord during the Eastern Han dynasty * Liu Biao, warlord during the late Eastern Han dynasty * Liu Zhuang, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Da, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Zhao, Emperor of the Han dynasty *

Liu Hu Emperor An of Han (; 94 – 30 April 125) was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty and the sixth emperor of the Eastern Han, ruling from 106 to 125. He was the grandson of Emperor Zhang. When her infant stepson Emperor Shang succeeded ...

, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Bao, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Zhi, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Hong, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Xie, Last emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Bei (161–223), Founding emperor of Shu Han * Liu Shan (207–271), Second emperor of Shu Han * Liu Hong, astronomer and mathematician of the Han dynasty * Liu Hui, mathematician during The Three Kingdoms period *

Liu Yan (Shu Han) Liu Yan (died 234), courtesy name Weishuo, was a long serving official in the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms of China having served under the much travelled warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty. Handsome and well spok ...

, general during the Three Kingdoms Period * Liu Ji (Three Kingdoms), official of Eastern Wu *

Liu Kun Liu Kun (; born December 1956) is a Chinese politician and the current Minister of Finance. Previously he served as director of Budgetary Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress, Vice-Minister of Finance, and vice-governor of Guan ...

, general, poet and musician of the Western Jin * Liu Yuan, First emperor of Han Zhao * Liu He, Second emperor of Han Zhao * Liu Cong, Third emperor of Han Zhao *

Liu Can Liu Can (died 318), courtesy name Shiguang, Posthumous name (as given by Jin Zhun) Emperor Yin of Han (Zhao), was an emperor of the Xiongnu-led Han Zhao dynasty of China, who reigned briefly in 318 before being killed by his trusted father-in-la ...

, Fourth emperor of Han Zhao *

Liu Yao Liu Yao (died 329), courtesy name Yongming, was the final emperor of the Xiongnu-led Han Zhao dynasty of China. He became emperor in 318 after most other members of the imperial Liu clan were massacred by Jin Zhun in a coup. However, the empir ...

, Fifth emperor of Han Zhao * Empress Liu E, Empress of Han Zhao * Liu Yu, Founder of the Liu Song as Emperor Wu of Liu Song * Liu Yilong, Emperor Wen of Liu Song * Empress Liu, Empress of Northern Song * Liu Sanjie, folk music singer during the Southern Song dynasty * Liu Zhiyuan, Founding emperor of Later Han *

Liu Chong Liu Min (劉旻) ( 895 – 954), named Liu Chong (劉崇) before 951,, also known Emperor Shizu of Northern Han by his temple name '' Shizu'' (世祖), was the founding emperor of the Northern Han state during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms ...

, Founding emperor of Northern Han * Liu Yan, Founding emperor of Southern Han * Liu Rengui, chancellor and general of the Tang dynasty *

Liu Xiangdao Liu Xiangdao (劉祥道) (596–666), courtesy name Tongshou (同壽), formally Duke Xuan of Guangping (廣平宣公), was a Chinese politicians of the medieval Chinese Tang Dynasty who served briefly as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozo ...

, chancellor of the Tang dynasty *

Liu Ji (general) Liu Ji (; 757 – August 20, 810), courtesy name Jizhi (), was a general of the Chinese Tang dynasty who served as the military governor (''Jiedushi'') of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing) from 787 (succeeding his father Li ...

, general of the Tang dynasty *

Liu Ji (Tang chancellor) Liu Ji (died January 18, 646), courtesy name Sidao, was a Chinese politician who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Taizong in the Tang dynasty. Late in his reign, Taizong heavily relied on Liu Ji. However, around the new year ...

, chancellor of the Tang dynasty * Liu Yan (Tang dynasty), Chinese economist and politician during the Tang dynasty *

Liu Zhan Liu Zhan (劉瞻) (died September 29, 874Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 252.), courtesy name Jizhi (幾之), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of ...

, chancellor and official of the Tang dynasty *

Liu Chongwang Liu Chongwang (劉崇望) (c. 839?-July 30, 900?''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 20, part 1.Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar ConverterThe death date listed here is according to the chronicles of Emperor Zhaozong's reign in the ''Old Book of Ta ...

, chancellor of the Tang dynasty * Liu Changqing, famous poet and politician * Liu Yuxi, famous poet and statesman *

Liu Kezhuang Liu Kezhuang (, 1187–1269), was a Song Dynasty Chinese poet and literary critic. He is credited with selecting the first version of the anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it ...

, famous poet of southern song * Liu Xu, chancellor of Later Tang and Later Jin *

Liu Bingzhong Liu Bingzhong (; 1216–1274), or Liu Kan () was a Yuan dynasty court adviser and architect. He was born in Ruizhou (Rui prefecture), during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234), Jin dynasty. In 1233, he entered the Jin's bureaucracy. He still was an of ...

, chancellor of the Yuan dynasty * Liu Bowen, famous poet, statesman, strategist and thinker *

Liu Tongxun Liu Tongxun (; 1698–1773) was a politician in Qing dynasty. He was one of relatively few ethnically Han Grand Secretariat of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. He has served for the Qing government for more than 40 years with integrity, and dares to ...

, politician of the Qing dynasty * Liu Yong, politician and calligrapher of the Qing dynasty * Liu Mingchuan, First Governor of Taiwan *

Liu Ji (politician) Liu Ji (; 1887–1967) was a Chinese general and politician. Closely associated with Feng Yuxiang, he began his career by joining the Qing Army, Qing Imperial Army, then served under both the Beiyang Government, Beiyang and Nationalist Government ...

, (born 1887), 11th Republic-era mayor of Beijing.

Notable people

References

External links

Chinese surname history: Liu
{{surname Chinese-language surnames Multiple Chinese surnames