三吴折桂

 

Three Intellectual Giants of the Wu Family

 

仙居吴氏作为浙东名门,家风敦厚,重视教育。七世祖吴允昭乐善好施,重视家族教育,设立私塾,聚齐子侄,延师授课,开始了诗书教育的家学传统。从此吴氏子弟科甲连第,书香绵长。至九世祖吴詠(1094-1146)与从弟吴谦(1095-1165)、吴芾(1104-1183)连登进士第,时人称为“三吴”。其后吴骧、吴津与吴浚等子侄辈亦皆登进士,其里遂被名以“折桂”。


The Wu family of Xianju County was a distinguished clan of Zhejiang Province, whose reputation came from the observance of moral principles and the pursuit of erudition. From the fourth ancestor Wu Fu onwards, the descendants had all carried on the tradition of charity and good works. The seventh ancestor Wu Yunzhao (1061-1121) had an innately good character; he was loyal and honest, full of virtue and good works, and he prized a traditional family education. Joining forces with his elder cousin Wu Xing, he set up an academy where teachers were employed to give lessons to family members, marking the beginning of classical education as a family tradition. Thereafter, the clan descendants continuously succeeded in the imperial exams, bringing honor and glory to the family. The most famous among them were the ninth ancestor Wu Yong (1094-1146) and his cousins Wu Qian (1095-1165) and Wu Fu (1104- 1183), who each attained the “jinshi” degree in the imperial examinations, and became known as the “three Wus.” In the following generation, Wu Xiang,Wu Jin ,and Wu Jun also attained the highest “jinshi” degree, and ever since the Wu family village has been called “gathering cassia,” after the examination laurels.