伯姓
The Bo surname, pronounced "bó," is an ancient Chinese family name with multiple origins, including from figures like Bo Yi, official titles, and ethnic assimilation. It is historically associated with Hedong Commandery and has a relatively small population. Notable bearers include the musician Bo Ya and the horse expert Bo Le.
The Bo Family Name
Family Name: Bo, Pronounced: bó
Distribution of the Bo Family Name
- Hedong Commandery: ① Refers to present-day Shanxi Province. ② During the Qin Dynasty, Hedong Commandery was established as a administrative region, governing the southwestern part of the Jin territory. ③ In the Tang Dynasty, there was the Hedong Circuit, and a Hedong Military Governor was appointed; the administrative center was Puzhou, while the Military Governor's office was located in Taiyuan (southwest of present-day Taiyuan). ④ During the Song Dynasty, there was the Hedong East Road, with its administrative center in Bingzhou (Taiyuan Prefecture, present-day Taiyuan), whose jurisdiction extended north to the Great Wall and also included the northeastern part of present-day Shaanxi. ⑤ In the Jin Dynasty, it was divided into the Hedong Southeast Road and Hedong Northeast Road; the southeast road was governed from Pingyang (present-day Linfen), and the northeast road from Taiyuan Prefecture.
Origins of the Bo Family Name
The Bo family name has several origins:
- From the Ying surname: Derived from Bo Yi, a leader of the Dongyi tribe during the early Xia Dynasty, taking his ancestor's name as his family name.
- From the Jiang surname: Derived from Mo Tai Yun, a prince of the Guzhu kingdom and descendant of the Yan Emperor, taking his ancestor's title as his family name.
- From the Xun surname: Derived from Xun Lin Fu, a high-ranking official of the Jin state during the Spring and Autumn period, taking his ancestor's name as his family name.
- **From compound surnames starting with "Bo": Simplifications of such surnames.
- From the Baihuang surname: Derived from Bai Zi, a leader of an ancient Eastern tribe, taking his ancestor's name as his family name.
- From official positions: Derived from the Dazongbo (Grand Master of Rites) during the Western Zhou Dynasty, taking the title of an official as his family name.
- From the Mi surname: Derived from Nan Gong, a shaman of the Chu state during the Warring States period, taking his ancestor's name as his family name.
- From the Mongolian ethnic group: A Hanized surname.
- From the Hui ethnic group: Derived from the famous Hui ancestor Bo Du Lu Ding, a Hanized surname.
- From the Manchu ethnic group: A Hanized surname.
- From the Xibe ethnic group: A Hanized surname.
- From official ranks: Derived from noble titles during the Western Zhou Dynasty, taking the official title as his family name.
Ancestors of the Bo Family Name
The ancestors of the Bo family include:
- Bo Yi, a remarkable figure in ancient times who assisted Shun in taming birds and beasts and was granted the Ying surname, becoming the progenitor of the prestigious Ying family.
- Bo Yi also assisted Yu in controlling floods; when Yu was old, he intended to pass the throne to him, but Bo Yi refused. Eventually, Yu passed the throne to his wise son Qi, ending the tradition of abdication and marking the beginning of a hereditary monarchy in Chinese history.
- Most descendants of Bo Yi took the Ying surname, but the Bo surname itself did not appear in Chinese history until the Spring and Autumn period (over 2000 years later).
Migration and Distribution
The Bo family is an ancient surname with multiple origins and involving multiple ethnic groups. Its total population does not rank among the top 300 in mainland China, but it does rank 783rd in Taiwan Province. The most prominent Bo families originated from Hedong Commandery. Neither the mainland nor Taiwan versions of the Bo surname rank among the top 100 in the "Hundred Family Surnames." According to "Fengsu Tong," the ancestor of the Bo family, Bo Yi, was a high-ranking official named Ziyu, who served as the chief minister of Wu.
The Character "Bo" in Ancient Times
In ancient times, the character "Bo" meant "eldest." Therefore, it was common for the eldest son in a family to be named "Bo," and this tradition continued among the descendants of Bo Yi and other prominent figures.
Notable Figures with the Bo Surname
- Bo Ya: A musician from the Spring and Autumn period who studied the zither under Cheng Lian but did not improve his skills for three years. After visiting the Donghai Penglai Mountain and being inspired by the sound of the sea and the cries of birds, his zither skills greatly improved. He composed the works "Water Narcissus" and "High Mountains and Flowing Water."
- Bo Le: A horse evaluator from the Spring and Autumn period, also known as Yang Zi.