Zuo

Zuo is a romanization used for several related Chinese terms and names. In general usage it can denote the direction left (pinyin zuǒ), the left side of something, and it appears in various proper names and toponyms. As a surname, Zuo is written with the character 左 and is borne by people in China and among the Chinese diaspora.

As a surname, 左 has historical roots in China. Like many Chinese surnames, its precise origins are tied to ancient political or geographic designations, and it is carried by families across generations. The surname is relatively uncommon compared with some of the more widespread Chinese surnames, but it appears in historical and contemporary records and in biographical notes of individuals around the world.

Zuo Zhuan, or the Zuo Commentary, is a classical Chinese text traditionally associated with the state of Zuo and attributed to the philosopher Zuo Qiuming. Dated to the early centuries BCE, it is regarded as a foundational narrative history of the Spring and Autumn period (roughly 771–476 BCE). The Zuo Zhuan supplements the Spring and Autumn Annals with extended biographies, events, and moral observations, and it has been influential in Chinese historiography, literature, and Confucian learning. It is one of the principal traditional commentaries on the Annals, alongside other works such as the Gongyang and Guliu.

In addition to these uses, zuǒ as a word meaning left appears in many phrases, directions, and place names. The romanization Zuo can thus refer to a surname, a classical text, or the concept of left, depending on context.