The Gu family traces its origins to the Yue Kingdom, which was later destroyed around 306 BC in the third dynasty Zhou dynasty during the Warring States period and partitioned between Chu and Qi. At the beginning of the Han dynasty, the 7th generation descendant of King Goujian of Yue was named Yao, a regional warlord. He assisted the royal family of the Han dynasty in establishing the new dynasty. For his service, the Han emperor rewarded Yao with the title of "King of Eastern Sea". Yao later bestowed his own son the title of "Duke of Gu Yu". Thus his descendants proclaimed themselves the last name "Gu", and called "Gu Yao" as the 1st Ancestor of "Gu". According to a 2002 article similar trace of that family was confirmed through historical archives. Other commentaries are found at and Distribution This family name can be found mostly in eastern and southern Chinese provinces, especially in Jiangsu, Northern Zhejiang, and around the city of Shanghai, and is sometimes romanized as Koo. This surname can also be found in Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia. Notable people Chinese Prominent bearer of this surname include: The Gu clan of Wu, whose members served under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han dynasty and later in the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period Gu Yong, second chancellor of Eastern Wu Gu Hui, Gu Yong's brother, served under Sun Quan Gu Ti, official of Eastern Wu Gu Shao, Gu Yong's eldest son, official of Eastern Wu Gu Tan, Gu Shao's son, official of Eastern Wu Gu Cheng, Gu Shao's son, official of Eastern Wu Gu Rong (:zh:顧榮; 顾荣), Gu Yong's grandson, served Jin dynasty after the fall of Eastern Wu, was a trusted advisor to Emperor Yuan of Jin, led established southern nobility to unite with exiled northern nobility, and played a pivotal role in preserving the Chinese civilization in a most precarious period - Invasion and rebellion of the Five Barbarians - culminated with the Disaster of Yongjia Gu Kaizhi, celebrated painter of ancient China during the Jin dynasty Gu Yanwu, a scholar in late Ming and early Qing period Wellington Koo (Gu Weijun), the diplomat who represented China in the League of Nations Gu Jiegang, the modern Chinese historian who advocated a modern view of China as a diverse culture, rather than the traditional homogeneous culture Ku Meng-yu, Vice Premier