Early Ancestors

The words of my uncle:

Origin

Jiang Tai-kung was considered to be the common ancestor of all Chiu's. Originally he was a low-ranking official serving the last king of the Shang dynasty (1600-1027 BC), who was very mean and corrupted. Jiang proposed some reforms to the king, was fired and almost executed. Jiang escaped far west to the tribe-state Zhou, capital at Si-an. Being jobless and disappointed, he spent his days fishing at the bank of Wei River, a branch of Yellow River. The king of Zhou, King Wen, discovered him and immediately appointed him as Zhou's prime minister and chief general. By then Jiang was already 80 years old. Jiang was a top military strategist and geo-politician. He aided King Wen to strengthen Zhou, and the succeeding King Wu to conquer the Shang dynasty and establish a Zhou dynasty (1027-222 BC). Zhou dynasty adopted a feudalistic system, divided the whole country into over 800 major states, or dukedoms, and granted each state to their sons, brothers, cousins, generals and ministers. Jiang, being the MVP (most valuable player), was granted to be the Duke of a large and strategic state in the far east, Chi. Jiang set his capital at Ying-Chiu, near today's Chi-nan. Therefore, one of Jiang's branches is surnamed CHIU.

That was about 3,000 years ago.

Migration

The Chiu's migrated southward, just like all Chinese, throughout the dynasties and centuries, slowly and steadily. The Chiu's took three routes: through Hunan province, then Guangdung; through Jiangsi province, then Guangdung; through Fujian province, then Guangdung and Taiwan.

Today pockets of Chiu's were found in Hunan, Fujian, Taiwan and Guangdung. I met them and verified the fact personally. I never met one Chiu from Jiangsi or north of Long River.

In Guangdung province, at least three pockets of Chiu's were found: one in Bao-an County; one at Lop Joke Kup town; and one at Na Tai Town, our branch.

All Chiu's have one thing in common. At the huge stone frame of the front door of each village temple, these words were expertly carved: "Blessings to the Offspring of Wei River, Blessings to the fragrant fountain South of Long River."

I questioned all the Chiu's I met, and never failed to point out this common link, in spite of our incommunicable dialects.

The causes for migration were many:

1. Natural calamities: famines, drought, flood, earthquake, locusts, and epidemics.
2. Inheritance tradition: Only the sons of the rightful wife had the inheritance right. The offspring of the concubines had not and they had to leave and migrate somewhere else to settle. Some feudal lords even persecuted and eliminated all the brothers and cousins in order to get rid of the competition.
3. Dynasty and power change: The clan of the loser was usually exiled, enslaved or executed. Therefore, when your clan was "down" it was wiser to run out of town as quick and as far as you could. For example, during the era of South-North Dynasty (420-618), the whole northern half of China, Yellow River basin, was conquered and occupied by foreign tribes. Massive migration shifted the population to Long River basin, the south.
4. Guangdung province was a jungle, barbaric, hot and humid, full of tropical disease, yet very fertile and good for farming. It was at the southern end of the land, the end of the road. Therefore, it has been a favorite place for exiles and refugees.

My comments:

The character of Jiang Tai Gong was a real person in history.