The Genealogical Sketch of Wu’s Gaowu Branch of The First Ancestor Taibo (泰伯)

By Phillip Wu, Suzhou, People's Republic of China

{To see the original Chinese article click here 吴姓流变寻踪 }

According to three sets of “The Books of Wu’s Family Tree of Gaowu Branch” (These books are collected in Suzhou Library), Minxue (敏学) (Yanxing Gong 彦行公), one of the ninety-second generation grandsons of first ancestor Taibo (泰伯), set up Wu’s Gaowu Branch. Before the ninety-second generation is called generation (代); starting from the ninety-second generation is also called “shi”(世). Yanxing gong obtained Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) at the era of Chenhua Yiwei in Ming Dynasty (明朝成化乙未进士) and was appointed head of Yixing County School. Later he transferred to the prefecture of Suzhou and became a professor of Suzhou Prefecture School. In Suzhou he settled down by Donggao Bridge, Zhide temple at Jinchang (卜居金阊至德庙东皋桥里). One of his early ancestors named Wuliang(吴良) who was a county magistrate, living in She County (歙县), Anhui Province. He handed down to Shaowei gong (少微公) who was appointed a chief procurator in Tang Dynasty(仕唐朝御史) and Shaowei gong handed down to Minxue (Yanxing gong)  who moved to Suzhou as the first generation of Wu’s Family of Gaowu Branch.

Minxue (Yanxing gong), Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-second generation, became the first “shi of Gaowu Branch.

Henceforth, Shangxie (Xiye gong), Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-third generation, became the second “shi”.

Xishun (Wenhua gong),Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-fourth generation, became the third “shi”.

Liangchen (Yanfu gong),Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-fifth generation, became the fourth “shi”.

Zhongfa (Chunmeng gong),Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-sixth generation, became the fifth “shi”.

Shichang (Muchun gong),Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-seventh generation, became the sixth “shi”.

Yuantai (Fengchun gong),Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-eighth generation, became the seventh “shi”.

Shikang (Zhenfan gong),Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-ninth generation, became the eighth “shi”.

Hongji (Shaoyuan gong),Taibo’s descendant in the one hundredth generation, became the ninth “shi”.

Shiyu,Taibo’s descendant in the hundred and first generation, became the tenth “shi”.

Yonghan,Taibo’s descendant in the hundred and second generation, became the eleventh “shi”.

Zhiyun,Taibo’s descendant in the hundred and third generation, became the twelfth “shi”.

Chuanxin,Taibo’s descendant in the hundred and fourth generation, became the thirteenth “shi”.

Jingyuan,Taibo’s descendant in the hundred and fifth generation, became the fourteenth “shi”.

Liao,Taibo’s descendant in the hundred and sixth generation, became the fifteenth “shi”.

Datong, Taibo’s descendant in the hundred and seventh generation, became the sixteenth “shi”.

Each of the status of a generation in the Gaowu Branch is in accordance with a poem in classical Chinese in “The Books of Wu’s Family Tree of Gaowu Branch” which says: “chuan jing li da ben,yi de shou chao yi, guang yu yi shi hou, cheng xian qing lu sui”. (The general idea of above poem is as follows:

"Learning the analects of Confucius helps setting up the code of ethics.

Raising moral standards enables people to abide the rules and regulations of imperial court.

In order to bring glory to families and forefathers you must observe teachers’ instructions.

By carrying on the excellent traditions of forefathers people can enjoy a peaceful life."

Tracing back to the source of Wu’s family, the surname of Wu came from Xuanxiao（玄嚣），one of two sons of Leizu(嫘祖),wife of Yellow Emperor (黄帝).The other son was Changyi (昌意).  Both of them inherited the Yellow Emperor’s surname ji (姬姓).

Xuanxiao ruled the tribe on the Central Plains (中原). His generations went down as a branch of Wu’s family. According to ‘The Book of Wu’s Family Tree in Danyang’ (丹阳吴氏宗谱)，people of Wu’s family considered Xuan Xiao to be their second ancestor after the Yellow Emperor. After the era of Xuanxiao , his outstanding descendants as Jiaoji (蛟极)，Di Hao (帝喾)   Houji (后稷)，Buyao (不窑)，Gugong Danfu (古公 父)carried on the family line. In the end Gugong Danfu and his descendants destroyed the Shang Dynasty（商朝）and established the Zhou Dynasty (周朝)。 3100 years ago Taibo and Zhongyong (仲雍), the eldest son and the second son of Gugong Danfu, both surnamed Ji (姬姓)，escaped together from Zhou to Wu area and established the Wu State with the surname of Ji (姬姓吴国)。 In 473B.C. the Wu State was defeated by the Yue State (越国). People of the Wu State adopted the surname of Wu in memory of their former state. Taibo died. As he had no son, his younger brother Zhongyong was acknowledged as the successor ancestor of Wu’s family.

Following is the thirty generations starting from ancestor Taibo who gave up the throne:

Taibo       Jijian        Shuda      Zhouzhang   Xiongsui

Kexiang     Jiang Jiuyi   Yiwu       Kelu        Zhouyao

Quyu        Yiwu          Qinchu     Zhuan       Pogao

Jubei       Quqi          Shoumeng   Jizha       Zhisheng

Qifan       Xu            Shou       Miyong      Gouyu

Zishan      She           Zhang      Mu          Shen

Emperor Shoumeng (吴王寿梦) is Taobo’s descendant of the eighteeth generation. During the period of Shoumeng, the Wu State became stronger and stronger . Shoumeng had four sons: Zhufan (诸樊), Yuji (余祭), Yumei (余昧)and Jiza (季扎).

The first three sons took the reign one after another, but the youngest son gave up the rule. So Prince Liao (僚), son of Yumei, came to the reign. Then Zhufan’s son Prince Guang (光), got acquainted with distinguished men secretly in order to kill Emperor Liao. Later, a warrior named Zhuan Zhu (专诸) introduced by Wu Zixu (伍子胥) killed Emperor Liao (吴王僚) with a dagger hidden in a fish. At last Prince Guang took the throne. He became He Lu (阖闾), the Emporer of Wu. Emperor Fu Chai (吴王夫差), the son of He lu was Taibo’s twenty-first

Generation.

The following is the thirty-first generation to the sixtieth generation.

Rui     Qian     Xin     Guangzhi     Qianqiu

Changling     Quan     Long     Fuxing     Han

Kangcheng     Xin     Rusheng     Gui     Wenzhi

Yingzhi     Kangnian     Siying     Zhengyi

Qin     Shou     Wenwei     Liang     Yifang

The following is the sixty-first generation to the ninety-first generation.

Shaowei     Gong     Quan     Quan       Shuzhen

Ju     Ming     Daolong     Jin     Shenzhi

Yi     Jingan     Jian     Zuo     Long

Liang     Yongyan    Guan

Yu     Yuan     Di     Kuangda     Leifang

Hanzi     Meishan     Ben     Zengshou     Yongfu

Zhixian     Qihu     Shichen

Minxue (Yanxing gong) was Taibo’s descendant in the ninety-second generation.

Now, arranging in the generation order of the stating of “The Books of Wu’s Family Tree of Gaowu Branch”, in Suzhou we already have the status of the generation “shou”(守) in our Gaowu Branch, that is, Taibo’s one hundred and eleventh

吴姓流变寻踪

吴氏皋无支始祖世系

溯考《吴氏家乘》十卷，《皋无吴氏家乘》四卷，《皋无吴氏家乘》六卷（以上家谱现由苏州市图书馆收藏）。吾吴氏皋无支则彦行公盖让王（泰伯）第九十二代孙也，以上称代以下称世。明朝成化乙未进士，任宜兴教谕，改苏州府学教授，卜居金阊至德庙东皋桥里。吴之先有讳良者，为安徽歙县令家于歙传之少微公(shao wei gong)，仕唐为御史，又传而至彦行公(yan xing gong)，讳敏学，为迁吴第一世祖。

     敏学（min xue）（彦行公）为一世，泰伯第九十二代孙也。

     尚贤（shang xian）（熙野公）为二世，泰伯第九十三代孙也。

        希舜（xi shun）（文华公）为三世，泰伯第九十四代孙也。

     良臣（liang chen）（延辅公）为四世，泰伯第九十五代孙也。

     钟发（zhong fa）（春梦公）为五世，泰伯第九十六代孙也。

     时昌（shi chang）（慕椿公）为六世，泰伯第九十七代孙也。

     元泰（yuan tai）（奉椿公）为七世，泰伯第九十八代孙也。

     世康（shi kang）（震凡公）为八世，泰伯第九十九代孙也。

     宏基(hong ji))（绍远公）为九世，泰伯第一佰代孙也。

     士玉(shi yu)为十世，泰伯第一百零一代孙也。

     永汉(yong han)为十一世，泰伯第一百零二代孙也。

     之芸(zhi yun)为十二世，泰伯第一百零三代孙也。

     传馨(chuan xin)为十三世，泰伯第一百零四代孙也。

     经源(jing yuan)为十四世，泰伯第一百零五代孙也。

     立鳌(li ao)为十五世，泰伯第一百零六代孙也。

     大桐(da tong)为十六世，泰伯第一百零七代孙也。

     各辈份即按《吴氏家乘》诗云“传经立大本，翼德守朝仪，光裕宜师厚，承先庆履绥。”

     追本溯源，吴姓是玄嚣（黄帝正妻嫘祖生两子：玄嚣和昌意，都继承黄帝的本姓——姬）统治中原部落，传承的一个支系。《丹阳吴氏宗谱》等家谱把玄嚣称为吴姓人继始祖黄帝之后的第二世远祖。玄嚣之后，吴氏远祖的世系有所传衍，相继出现了蟜极、帝喾、后稷、不窑、古公亶父等著名人物。古公亶父和其子孙终于灭商建国，成立周朝。3100年前，姬姓古公亶父长子泰伯奔吴，建立姬姓吴国。他被称为吴姓开氏始祖。公元前473年吴被灭于越。吴国百姓为不忘故国以原国名为姓氏。泰伯死，无子，其弟仲雍被称为吴姓传代始祖。

     始祖让王（泰伯）至三十代如下：

     泰伯(tai bo)   季简(ji jian)  叔达(shu da)  周章(zhou zhang)熊遂(xiong sui)

     柯相(ke xiang) 缰鸠夷(jiang jiu yi) 疑吾(yi wu)   柯卢(ke lu) 周繇(zhou yao)

     屈羽(qu yu)    夷吾(yi wu)    禽处(qin chu)  转(zhuan) 颇高(po gao) 

      句卑(ju bei)   去齐(qu qi)   寿梦(shou meng) 季札(ji zha)

      徵生(zhi sheng)  启蕃(qi fan)   诩(xu)    售(shou)  弥庸(mi yong) 

     勾余(gou yu)  子山(zi shan)  涉(she)   彰(zhang) 穆(mu)    申(shen)

     寿梦，泰伯第十八代孙也。寿梦时期，吴国日益强大。寿梦有四子：诸樊、余祭、余昧、季札。从长子诸樊执政到余昧，待季札接任，季札始终避让，而有余昧之子僚继任。诸樊儿子公子光暗中结纳贤士，袭击王僚。由伍子胥介绍勇士专诸从鱼腹中取出匕首刺向王僚。结果公子光立为吴王即阖闾，其子夫差，泰伯第二十一代孙也。

第三十一代到六十代如下：

     芮(rui)   浅(qian)  信(xin)   广志(guang zhi) 千秋(qian qiu)

    长陵(chang ling)   全(quan)  隆(long)  复兴(fu xing)  汉(han)

     康成(kang cheng)   昕(xin)   如胜(ru sheng) 圭(gui)   文质(wen zhi)

   应之(ying zi)  康年(kang nian)    孠英(si ying)  正已 (zheng yi)   定(ding)

   之则（zhi ze） 延(yan)   猛(meng) 安诚(an cheng)    筠(jun)

  钦(qin)   授(shou)  文蔚(wenwei)  良(liang)    义方(yi fang)

第六十一代至九十一代如下：

少微(shao wei) 巩(gong)  泉(quan)  叔溱 zhen   矩(ju)  明(ming)  道隆(dao long) 晋(jin)   

深之(shen zhi)  翊(yi)    景安(jinan)    潜(qian)   祚(zuo)   隆(long)     谅(liang)     

永言(yong yan) 瓘(guan)   豫   (yu) 源(yuan)       棣(di)    光大(kuang da) 雷坊(lei fang)

汉之(han zi)   眉山(mei shan) 本(ben)    曾寿(zeng shou)    永福（yong fu） 志衍(zhi xian)

齐护(qi hu)    世臣(shi chen)     敏学（彦行公），泰伯第九十二代孙也。

如今，吴氏谱系苏州皋无支家族后裔已发展到了“守”字辈，即泰伯第一百十一代孙。是为繁衍荣昌了。 

吴本立