Chinese surname · rank 151
左
左 is read as zuǒ.
zuǒ
Simplified and traditional 左
left; east; to assist; also used as a surname
Earth
Time: Legendary antiquity for the Zuo Che / ancient Zuo state tradition; Western Zhou to Spring and Autumn period for the official-title and noble-branch traditions.; Western Zhou tradition, 1046-771 BCE
Place: Ancient Zuo state tradition is variously linked by modern surname sources to Fangshan, Luliang, Shanxi; 23Mofang separately notes a Zuo-ren tradition around northwest Tang County, Hebei, but says the ancient Zuo state lineage and history cannot be clearly verified.
Origin note
Zuo is best presented as a multi-origin surname. One transmitted line says descendants of Huangdi-era official Zuo Che or an ancient Zuo state used Zuo as a surname. Another historically clearer layer derives Zuo from hereditary offices such as Zuo Shi, left-side scribes or officials, whose descendants shortened official titles to the single surname Zuo.
Historical figures
Historical figures to enrich
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