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Wu Chinese
吳越民系 江浙民系

Total population
80,102,480 (2013)[1]
Regions with significant populations
People's Republic of China	Zhejiang Jiangsu Shanghai Anhui Jiangxi Fujian Hong Kong Macau
Republic of China (onTaiwan)	As part ofWaishengren population
United States	As part ofChinese American population
Canada	As part ofChinese Canadian population
Australia	As part ofChinese Australian population
Italy	Majority ofChinese people in Italy
France	Majority ofChinese people in France
Singapore	As part ofChinese Singaporean population
Languages
Wu Chinese andStandard Chinese
Religion
Mahayana Buddhism,Confucianism,Taoism,Folk religion. SmallChristian minorities.
Related ethnic groups
OtherHan Chinese subgroups

TheWu Chinese people, also known asWuyue people^{[citation needed]} (simplified Chinese:吴越人;traditional Chinese:吳越人;pinyin:Wúyuè rén,Shanghainese:[ɦuɦyɪʔɲɪɲ]),Jiang-Zhe people (江浙民系) orSan Kiang (三江), are a majorsubgroup of theHan Chinese. They are aWu Chinese-speaking people who hail from southernJiangsu Province, the entirety of the city ofShanghai and all ofZhejiang Province, as well as smaller populations inXuancheng prefecture-level city in southernAnhui Province,Shangrao,Guangfeng andYushan counties of northeasternJiangxi Province and some parts ofPucheng County in northernFujian Province.

For much of its history and prehistory, the Wuyue region has been home to several neolithic cultures such as theHemudu culture,Majiabang culture and theLiangzhu culture. BothWu andYue were two kingdoms during theZhou dynasty and many such allusions to those kingdoms were attributed in theSpring and Autumn Annals, theZuo Zhuan and theGuoyu. Later, after years of fighting and conflict, the two cultures of Wu and Yue became one culture through mutual contact and cultural diffusion. TheChu state from the west (inHubei) expanded into this area and defeated theYue state.

After Chu was conquered byQin, China was unified. It was not until the fall ofWestern Jin during the early 4th century AD that northern Chinese moved to Jiangnan in significant numbers. The Yellow River valley was becoming barren due to flooding, lack of trees after intensive logging to create farmland and constant warfare during theupheaval of the Five Barbarians.

In the 10th century,Wuyue (Ten Kingdoms) was a small coastal kingdom founded byQian Liu who made a lasting cultural impact on Jiangnan and its people to this day. The cultural distinctiveness that began developing over this period persists to this day as the Wuyue region speaks a branch of theChinese language called Wu (the most famous dialect of which is Shanghainese), has distinctive cuisine and other cultural traits.

There have been many periods of mass-migrations to Wuyue areas fromNorthern China, sometimes overtaking the local Wuyue population. One notable example of this was when theSong dynasty fell in the north, large numbers of northern refugees flooded into the relocated capitalHangzhou mainly from the areas that are currently under the administration of modern-dayHenan Province. Within just 30 years, contemporary accounts record that these Northern immigrants outnumbered the Wu natives of Hangzhou, altering the city's spoken dialect and culture.

• Shanghainese people
• Wenzhou people

Traditionally, in the past, Wuyue people dominated theimperial examinations and were often ranked first in the imperial examinations asZhuangyuan (狀元),^[2] or in other positions of the Jinshi (進士) degree. The Wu speaking region produced 59 out of 114 Zhuangyuan scholars during the Ming and Qing dynasty, and 10427 out of 51444 Jinshi scholars, despite currently only constituting 6% of China's population. Amongst the 2331 scholars promoted to theChinese Academy of Sciences andChinese Academy of Engineering since the institutions' establishment from 1955, over 30% are Wuyue people, with 450 are from Jiangsu, 375 are from Zhejiang, 84 are from Shanghai.^[3] In addition, 5 out of 12 Nobel laureates who are of Chinese descent are Wuyue people, includingTsung Dao Lee,Charles Kao,Steven Chu,Roger Tsien andYouyou Tu.

• Changzhou dialect
• Hangzhou dialect
• Huzhou dialect
• Jinhua dialect
• Ningbo dialect
• Shanghainese dialect
• Shaoxing dialect
• Suzhou dialect
• Wenzhounese dialect
• Wuxi dialect

• Jiangnan sizhu
• Suzhou Pingtan (originated from Suzhou)

Kunqu andYue opera are amongst the most popular form of traditional opera in China, second toPeking Opera only.

• Kunqu
• Yue opera
• Shanghai opera
• Yongju, or Ningbo opera

• Wo Bau-Sae
• Butterfly Lovers (梁山伯與祝英台)
• Legend of the White Snake (白蛇傳)
• Dream of the Red Chamber

• Yangming school ofNeo-Confucianism
• Tiantai school ofMahayana Buddhism

• Tianyi Chamber
• The Classical Gardens in Suzhou

• Silk,Jiangnan is the largest silk-producing region in China.Huzhou is known for its fine silk.
• Tea (Camellia sinensis),Hangzhou is known for itsLongjing tea, and the rest of Jiangnan has their own unique tea varieties.
• Suzhou embroidery
• Shaoxing wine

The HLA-DRB1 distribution of Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Han population does share genetic characteristics with other Han Chinese populations, but it also exhibits its own characteristics distinct from that of other Han Chinese populations.^[4] This study also suggests that Wu-speaking peoples genetically, bridge the gap between Northern Han and Southern Han populations and thus are an intermediate between both populations.^[5] Even though Wu-speaking peoples form a genetic cluster, DNA analyses also show that Wu-speaking peoples are genetically coherent^{[clarification needed]} with other Han Chinese populations.^[6][7]

• 
  Shen Kuo, a brilliant polymathic scientist and mathematician of theSong dynasty.^[8]
• 
  Qian Xuesen, the father ofChinese space program.^[9]
• 
  Tsung-Dao Lee, one of the first two ChineseNobel prize laureates in Physics.
• 
  Chien-Shiung Wu, the first recipient of theWolf Prize in Physics.^[10]
• 
  Tu Youyou, the first ChineseNobel prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine.

• Shen Kuo (1031–1095), a brilliantpolymathic scientist and mathematician of theSong dynasty.^[11]
• Xu Guangqi (1562–1633), Chinese mathematician, agricultural scientist, astronomer, and scholar-bureaucrat under theMing dynasty.^[12]
• Wang Ganchang (1907–1998), one of the founding fathers of Chinesenuclear physics,cosmic rays andparticle physics.^[13]
• Tan Jiazhen (1909–2008), Chinese geneticist and the main founder of modern Chinese genetics.
• Qian Xuesen (1911–2009), the father ofChinese space program, Qian was praised byTheodore von Kármán who said that Qian "answered my questions with unusual precision. I was immediately impressed with the keenness and quickness of his (Qian's) mind."^[14]
• Chien-Shiung Wu (1912–1997), anexperimental physicist, she was known as "the First Lady of Physics" for her contributions tonuclear physics and was the first recipient of theWolf Prize in Physics.^[15]
• Chien Wei-zang (1912–2010), anapplied mathematician andphysicist.
• He Zehui (1914–2011), a Chinesenuclear physicist who worked to develop and exploit nuclear physics in China.
• Shao Xianghua (1913–2012), Chinese scientist and metallurgical engineer. He was considered as a pioneer of modern Chinesemetallurgical engineering.

Tsung-Dao Lee (1926–2024),Nobel prize laureate in Physics (1956).^[16]

• Li Zhijian (1928–2011), the pioneer of Chinesemicroelectronics.

Tu Youyou (1930–),Nobel prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine (2015).

Charles K. Kao (1933–),Nobel prize laureate in Physics (2009).

• Ni Guangjiong (1934–), Chinese physicist and science writer.
• Gu Leguan (1935–2001), a Chinese physicist and educator, he was also the former president ofChongqing University.
• Li Sanli (1935–), one of China's pioneers in computer science and engineering. He has won many domestic awards for research in the fields of computer architecture and organization.
• Zhou Chaochen (1937–), Chinese computer scientist and inventor of theDuration calculus.
• Andrew Yao (1946–), a Chinesecomputer scientist and computational theorist. His contributions include proving what is now known asYao's Principle.
• Ho-Kwang Mao (1947–), an eminent scientist and geologist in America.
• Jiawei Han, (1949–), Chinese computer scientist and Abel Bliss Professor in the Department of Computer Science at theUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Roger Y. Tsien (1952–2016),Nobel prize laureate in Chemistry (2009), Tsien was praised for being immensely intelligent byHerman Quirmbach who said "It's probably not an exaggeration to say he(Roger Y. Tsien)'s the smartest person I ever met... [a]nd I have met a lot of brilliant people".^[17]

• Junying Yu (1975–), is astem cellbiologist and researcher at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison.

• 
  Qian Liu, the first ruler ofWuyue kingdom.
• 
  Chiang Kai-shek, former president of theRepublic of China in Mainland China and Taiwan.
• 
  Hu Jintao, former president of thePeople's Republic of China.
• 
  Li Qiang, the currentpremier of thePeople's Republic of China.

• Qian Liu (852–932), founder and first king ofWuyue.
• Qian Yuanguan (887–941), second king of Wuyue.
• Sun Baoqi (1867–1931), theQing governor ofShandong Province and the premier of theRepublic of China.
• Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975), President of theRepublic of China in Mainland China and Taiwan.
• Chiang Ching-kuo (1910–1988), President ofRepublic of China (Taiwan).
• Sang Guowei (1941–), former chairman of theChinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party.
• Hu Jintao (1942–), formerpresident of thePeople's Republic of China.
• Han Zheng (1955–), current vice president of thePeople's Republic of China.
• Wang Huning (1955–), current chairman of theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
• Li Qiang (1958–), currentpremier of thePeople's Republic of China.
• Ding Xuexiang (1962–), current first Vice Premier of thePeople's Republic of China.

• 
  Ren Zhengfei, founder and CEO ofHuawei.
• 
  Jack Ma, co-founder ofAlibaba Group.

• Ren Zhengfei (1944–), an entrepreneur and engineer. Founder and CEO ofHuawei.
• Zhong Shanshan (1954–), an entrepreneur. Founder and chairperson of beverage companyNongfu Spring.
• Jack Ma (1964–), a businessman, investor and philanthropist . Co-founder ofAlibaba Group.
• Colin Huang (1980–), a businessman, investor and philanthropist. Founder of e-commerce companyPinduoduo.
• Frank Wang (1980–), an entrepreneur and aerospace engineer. Founder and CEO of the technology companyDJI.

• 
  Yao Ming, former professional basketball player for theHouston Rockets.
• 
  Sun Yang, considered to be one of the 'greatestfreestyle swimmers of all time'.
• 
  Liu Xiang, Olympic Gold medallist and World Champion in the110 metres hurdles.
• 
  Ding Liren, the currentWorld Chess Champion.
• 
  Ju Wenjun, the currentWomen's World Chess Champion.
• 
  Ding Junhui, regarded as the greatest Asiansnooker player of all time.
• 
  Zhou Guanyu, currentFormula One driver forSauber Motorsport.

• Fan Zhiyi (1969–), former international footballer. Former player forCrystal Palace andCardiff City.
• Yao Ming (1980–), former professional basketball player for theHouston Rockets, and current president of theChinese Basketball Association.
• Liu Xiang (1983–), formerhurdler. Olympic Gold medallist and World Champion in the110 metres hurdles.
• Wu Minxia (1985–), formerdiver, eight-time world champion and five-time Olympic and Asian champion making her one of the most decorated divers in history.
• Ding Junhui (1987–), a professionalsnooker player. As a formerworld No.1 ranked player, he is widely regarded as the greatest Asian player of all time.
• Ju Wenjun (1991–), a chessgrandmaster. She is the currentWomen's World Chess Champion.
• Sun Yang (1991–), professionalswimmer, considered to be one of the 'greatestfreestylers of all time'.
• Ding Liren (1992–), a chessgrandmaster. He is the currentWorld Chess Champion.
• Chen Ruolin (1992–), formerdiver, multiple Olympic gold medallist.
• Xie Zhenye (1993–), professionalsprinter. Olympic medallist and Asian record holder in the200 metres.
• Wang Shun (1994–), professionalswimmer, Olympic gold medallist.
• Ye Shiwen (1996–), professionalswimmer, Olympic gold medallist.
• Zhang Zhizhen (1996–), highest-everranked Chinese maletennis player on theATP Tour.
• Zhou Guanyu (1999–), currentFormula One driver forSauber Motorsport. He was the first Chinese driver to compete in Formula One.
• Pan Zhanle (2004–), professionalswimmer, current world record holder in the100 metre freestyle.
• Chen Yuxi (2005–), professionaldiver, six-time world champion.

• 
  Li Shanlan, 19th century Chinese mathematician, Li invented theLi Shanlan's Summation Formulae.
• 
  Pan Lei, QIng era scholar involved in the study of mathematics.
• 
  Pao-Lu Hsu, famous world classstatistician and the father ofprobability andstatistics in China.
• 
  Shiing-Shen Chern, considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians of the twentieth century and a leader ingeometry.

• Shen Kuo (1031–1095), a brilliant polymathic mathematician and scientist of the Song dynasty, he created an approximation of the arc of a circles bys =c + 2v²/d, where d is the diameter, v is the versine, c is the length of the chord c subtending the arc.
• Xu Guangqi (1562–1633), Chinese mathematician, agricultural scientist, astronomer and scholar-bureaucrat under the Ming dynasty.
• Pan Lei (1646 – 1708) was aQing dynasty scholar and mathematician.
• Li Rui (1768–1817), independently inventedDescartes' rule of signs during the Qing dynasty.
• Li Shanlan (1810 – 1882), invented theLi Shanlan's Summation Formulae, he also coined a great number of mathematical terms used in Chinese today.
• Hu Dunfu (1886–1978), Chinese mathematician and pioneer in higher education, he was the first dean ofTsinghua University.
• Jiang Lifu (1890–1978), father of modern Chinese mathematics and the first president ofAcademia Sinica of Mathematics.
• Chen Jiangong (1893–1971), an educator, mathematician and pioneer of modernizing Chinese mathematics
• Pao-Lu Hsu (1910–1970), a famed mathematician for being the father ofprobability andstatistics in China.
• Hua Luogeng (1910–1985), famous for his important contributions tonumber theory and for his role as the leader of mathematics research and education in the People's Republic of China.
• Shiing-Shen Chern (1911–2004), one of the greatest mathematicians of the twentieth century and widely regarded as a leader ingeometry and winning many prizes for his immense number of contributions to mathematics.
• Ky Fan (1914–2010), famous mathematician who invented many new mathematical equations and theories.
• Wu Wenjun (1919–2017), Chinese mathematician.
• Wang Yuan (mathematician) (1930–), head of the Institute of Mathematics,Chinese Academy of Sciences..
• Pan Chengdong (1934–1997), mathematician and vice president ofShandong University.
• Weinan E (1963–), applied mathematician who made many achievements in mathematics by contributing new equations intohomogenization theory, theoretical models of turbulence, electronic structure analysis, multiscale methods, computational fluid dynamics, and weakKAM theory.
• Zhiwei Yun (1982–), received a gold medal with a perfect score on his first time participating, and was awarded theSASTRA Ramanujan Prize in 2012 for his "fundamental contributions to several areas that lie at the interface of representation theory, algebraic geometry and number theory".^[18]

• 
  Wang Yangming, considered to be one of the greatest Confucian philosophers in history.
• 
  Zhu Xi, regarded as one of the most influential Confucian philosophers in history and the founder ofNeo-Confucianism.
• 
  Huang Zongxi, naturalist and political theorist, he advocated the belief that ministers should be openly critical of their emperor.
• 
  Ch'ien Mu, Chinese philosopher, historian, educator and Confucian.

• Wang Chong (Shaoxing),Han dynasty philosopher.
• Zhu Xi (Huizhou region), founder ofNeo-Confucianism,Song dynasty philosopher.
• Wang Yangming (Ningbo), regarded as one of the four greatest Confucianist philosophers.
• Qian Dehong (Ningbo), philosopher, writer, and educator during the mid-lateMing dynasty.
• Pan Pingge (Ningbo), Ming era critic of Neo-Confucianism.
• Huang Zongxi (Ningbo), naturalist and political theorist, he advocated the belief that ministers should be openly critical of their emperor.
• Wang Maozu (Suzhou), Republic era philosopher and educationalist.
• Ch'ien Mu (Wuxi), Chinese philosopher, historian, educator and Confucian. He was honored as one of the "Four Greatest Historians" of Modern China.

• 
  Lu Xun, praised as "The greatest writer Asia produced in the twentieth century" by Nobel prize laureate Kenzaburō Ōe.
• 
  Ai Qing, one of the most outstanding poets in Modern China.
• 
  Gao Xingjian,Nobel prize laureate for Literature in 2000.
• 
  Wu Weiye, one of theThree Masters of Jiangdong.

• Zhang Rong (443–497) was a Chinese official and poet during the period of theSouthern and Northern Dynasties.
• Lu Guimeng (before 836–881),Tang dynasty Chinese poet.
• Lu You (1125–1209), patriotic poet of the SouthernSong dynasty.
• Shi Nai'an (1296–1372), author of theWater Margin, one of theFour Great Classical Novels.
• Qian Qianyi (1582–1664), a Chinese official, scholar and social historian of the late Ming dynasty.
• Shao Mi (1592-1642) a Chinese landscape painter, calligrapher, and poet during theMing dynasty.
• Zhang Dai (1597–1679), Ming writer, historian and biographer.
• Wu Weiye (1609–1671) was an author and poet in Classical Chinese poetry.
• Lu Xun (1881–1936), a leading figure of modernChinese literature.
• Liu Bannong (1891–1934), a Chinese linguist and poet.
• Gu Jiegang^[19] (1893–1980), a Chinese historian best known for his seven-volume work Gushi Bian (古史辨, or Debates on Ancient History). He was a co-founder and the leading force of theDoubting Antiquity School, and was highly influential in the 20th century development of Chinese history.
• Ai Qing (1910–1996), regarded as one of the finest modern Chinese poets.
• Fei Xiaotong (1910–2005), a pioneering Chinese researcher and professor ofsociology andanthropology.
• Qian Zhongshu (1910–1998), a Chinese literary scholar and writer, known for his wit and erudition.
• Eileen Chang (1920–1995), one of the most influential modern Chinese writers, it was stated by poet andUniversity of Southern California professor Dominic Cheung that "had it not been for the political division between the Nationalist and Communist Chinese, she (Eileen Chang) would have almost certainly won aNobel Prize".

Gao Xingjian (1940–), novelist, playwright, critic and theNobel prize laureate for Literature of 2000.

• Ye Wenling (1942–), Chinese novelist and politician.
• Xiaolu Guo (1973–), novelist and filmmaker, her novels have been translated into 27 languages. In 2013 she was named as one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists, a list drawn up once a decade.

• Wuyue
• Chinese people
• Wu (region)
• Subei people

• wenlian.xiaoshan.gov.cn(in Chinese)

• Subgroups of the Han Chinese
• Jiangnan
• People from Shanghai
• People from Zhejiang
• People from Jiangsu
• People from Anhui

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