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, his 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, clan descendants were consistently successful 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.