Qu Yuan, a native of Zigui County, Hubei Province, was born in the first year of Chu Weiwang (339 BC) in a shabby old aristocratic family in Chu. His family used to be a nobleman of Chu, and their ancestors shared the same surname as the king of Chu, so he and Chu are descendants of the same ancestor, that is, Lai Chuanxu in ancient legend. According to legend, Zhuan Xu was born in Gaoyang, and he had a grandson of six generations, named Ji Lian and surnamed Qian, and Chu was his descendant. At that time, Xiong Yi, the great-grandson of Gui Xiong, a descendant of Ji Lian, was sealed in Chu and lived in Danyang (now Zigui County, Hubei Province) because of his ancestors' meritorious service. This was the beginning of the founding of Chu, and Xiong Yi was the first monarch of Chu. It can be seen that Chu's surname should have been money, but after the bear was born, it was named bear. Qu Yuan and the King of Chu share the same surname, and should also be surnamed Qian or Xiong. In the early Spring and Autumn Period, the son of Xiong Tong, the ancestor of Qu Yuan, was given the surname of Qu Yuan. Later, with the development of society, surnames were gradually confused, and Qu Yuan's ancestral surname "Qu" was handed down as his surname.

Because Qu Yuan's family is the royal family of Chu State, many of his ancestors held important positions and played an important role in Chu State. Such as buckling, buckling, buckling, etc. According to historical records, they are either diplomats who are good at rhetoric or generals who command thousands of troops, bringing great honor to the Qu family. However, in the Warring States period, the Qu family began to decline. Although it could maintain its aristocratic status politically, it was already very poor economically.