📖 Origin of the Hanja
Korean Yeo descends from Yeo Eomae (呂御梅), who naturalized from Song China during the reign of King Uijong of Goryeo. Hamyang Yeo is the largest clan. The hanja "呂" depicts two mouths (口) above the back (月) — originally a vertebra, extended to musical pitch (the yin pitches paired with yang in the ancient 12-tone system). The legendary Lü Shang (呂尙), also known as Jiang Taigong, was the military strategist who founded the Zhou dynasty. Korean modern Yeo Un-hyung (1886-1947) was a giant of left-right reconciliation.
🏯 Main Clans (Bongwan)
※ Bongwan refers to the ancestral home where the founder settled. Same surname, different bongwan = different clan branch.
🌟 Famous Figures
""呂" — both vertebra and musical pitch. Body and sound follow the same grain."
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