/ ( 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 (prince), Liu Jiao (Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty), King of Chu), the younger brother of Liu Bang and famous scholar * Emperor Hui of Han, Liu Ying, Second Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng, Fifth Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi, Sixth Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Wu of Han, 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, Prince of Zhongshan, Liu Sheng (King of Zhongshan), the direct ancestor of the Shu Han emperors, had more than 120 sons * Liu Xiang (scholar), Liu Xiang, government official, scholar, and author of who lived during the Han dynasty * Emperor Zhao of Han, Liu Fuling, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Marquis of Haihun, Liu He, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Xuan of Han, Liu Xun, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Yuan of Han, Liu Shi, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Cheng of Han, Liu Ao, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Ai of Han, Liu Xin, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Ping of Han, Liu Kan, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Liu Xin (scholar), Liu Xin, astronomer, historian, and editor during the Han dynasty * Gengshi Emperor, Liu Xuan, Emperor Gengshi of the Han dynasty * Liu Yan (Xin dynasty), general and older brother of Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu * Emperor Guangwu of Han, 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 * Emperor Ming of Han, Liu Zhuang, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Zhang of Han, Liu Da, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor He of Han, Liu Zhao, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor An of Han, Liu Hu, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Shun of Han, Liu Bao, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Huan of Han, Liu Zhi, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, Emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Xian of Han, 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), Liu Hong, astronomer and mathematician of the Han dynasty * Liu Hui, mathematician during The Three Kingdoms period * Liu Yan (Shu Han), general during the Three Kingdoms Period * Liu Ji (Three Kingdoms), official of Eastern Wu * Liu Kun (Jin dynasty), Liu Kun, general, poet and musician of the Western Jin * Liu Yuan (Han Zhao), Liu Yuan, First emperor of Han Zhao * Liu He (Han Zhao), Liu He, Second emperor of Han Zhao * Liu Cong (Han Zhao), Liu Cong, Third emperor of Han Zhao * Liu Can, Fourth emperor of Han Zhao * Liu Yao, Fifth emperor of Han Zhao * Liu E (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 (Zhenzong), 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, Founding emperor of Northern Han * Liu Yan (emperor), Liu Yan, Founding emperor of Southern Han * Liu Rengui, chancellor and general of the Tang dynasty * Liu Xiangdao, chancellor of the Tang dynasty * Liu Ji (general), general of the Tang dynasty * Liu Ji (Tang chancellor), chancellor of the Tang dynasty * Liu Yan (Tang dynasty), Chinese economist and politician during the Tang dynasty * Liu Zhan, chancellor and official of the Tang dynasty * Liu Chongwang, chancellor of the Tang dynasty * Liu Changqing, famous poet and politician * Liu Yuxi, famous poet and statesman * Liu Kezhuang, famous poet of southern song * Liu Xu, chancellor of Later Tang and Later Jin * Liu Bingzhong, chancellor of the Yuan dynasty * Liu Bowen, famous poet, statesman, strategist and thinker * Liu Tongxun, politician of the Qing dynasty * Liu Yong (Qing dynasty), Liu Yong, politician and calligrapher of the Qing dynasty * Liu Mingchuan, First Governor of Taiwan under Qing rule, Taiwan * Liu Ji (politician), (born 1887), 11th Republic-era mayor of Beijing.

Notable people

References

External links

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