The Chao Clan#

Surname: Chao, pronounced as “cháo”

Distribution of the Chao Clan#

Pengcheng Commandery: In the first year of the Dijie era of the Western Han Dynasty (69 BC), the state of Chu was reorganized into Pengcheng Commandery. The administrative center of Pengcheng Commandery was located in what is now Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province.

Origin of the Chao Clan#

The surname “Chao” has two origins:

1. It originates from the ancient Youchao clan. In ancient times, the Central Plains were covered with dense forests, and there were many wild animals that frequently threatened humans. Someone invented the idea of building wooden houses in the trees, which protected people from these threats while they slept. This person was regarded as a sage and was made the leader of the tribe, earning the title “Youchao.” His descendants thus took the surname Chao. During the reign of Emperor Yao, there was a hermit named Chaofu, who was a close friend of Xu You, a renowned scholar of the time. Yao offered the throne to Chaofu, but Chaofu declined. Yao then offered it to Xu You, who also refused and chose to live in the mountains, farming instead. When Yao invited Chaofu to become the governor of the nine provinces, Xu You responded by washing his ears, indicating his unwillingness to accept the offer. Coincidentally, Chaofu was passing by with his oxen by the river. When asked why he was washing his ears, Xu You explained, “Yao’s offer has polluted my ears, so I need to wash them.” Chaofu laughed and replied, “If you lived in the high mountains and did not interact with the world, who would disturb you? Your so-called purity is actually just a pursuit of fame. I fear that the water you use to wash your ears might contaminate my oxen’s mouth!” With that, Chaofu led his oxen upstream to drink. During the reign of Emperor Yu the Great, descendants of the Youchao clan were granted the state of Youchao (in the area of present-day Chaoxian County, Anhui Province). This state existed through the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties and was ruled by the Chao clan as princes. In the Spring and Autumn period, the state of Chu conquered Youchao, and the descendants of the Chao clan adopted the name of their former state as their surname.

2. The surname also originates from a place name. After King Jie of Xia was defeated by King Tang of Shang, he fled to Nancao (in the southwest of present-day Chaoxian County, Anhui Province) and died there. Some of his descendants stayed in Nancao and took the name of the place as their surname.

Ancestor of the Surname: Chaofu. The Chao clan originated from Chaohu Lake, a famous lake in Anhui Province. According to historical records, Chaohu was the location of the state of Youchao during the Yin and Zhou dynasties, about three to four thousand years ago. At the end of the Spring and Autumn period, the state of Youchao was conquered by the state of Wu, and its descendants adopted the name of their former state as their surname.

Other Origins of the Surname: Some scholars trace the origin of the Chao clan back to the ancient Youchao clan, which taught people how to build nests out of wood, contributing to the development of human civilization. This is mentioned in works such as “Han Feizi: Wudu” and other ancient texts. The “Xingpu” (Genealogy) states that the Chao clan is a descendant of the Youchao clan or the state of Youchao. During the reign of Emperor Yao, there was a man named Chaofu; during the Xia and Yin dynasties, there was the state of Youchao. According to the “Xingsheng Kaolue,” the Chao clan took the name of their former state as their surname, with their prestigious lineage originating from Pengcheng Commandery. The founder of the Chao clan is said to have built nests in trees and slept on them, hence the name Chaofu.

Distribution of the Clan: The Chao clan is not among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. In ancient times, one of Emperor Yao’s ministers, named Chaofu, was a pioneer of Chinese architecture. Traditional Chinese architecture is primarily wooden, which is distinct from the stone architecture of other countries. Chaofu taught people to use tree trunks to build houses to protect themselves from wild animals; such buildings were called “pole-and-bar” houses. Because they were built in trees, similar to how eagles build nests, their creator was called Youchao. During the reign of Emperor Yu the Great, descendants of the Youchao clan were granted the state of Youchao, which was located in present-day Chaoxian County, Anhui Province. The prestigious members of the Chao clan resided in Pengcheng Commandery, which corresponds to the areas of Xuzhou and Tongshan in present-day Jiangsu Province.

Hall Names of the Clan: Common hall names for the Chao clan include “Cizhan Hall,” which refers to Emperor Yao’s hermit Chaofu who lived in the mountains and built nests in trees, refusing the throne offered to him.

Common Couplets for the Chao Clan’s Ancestral Hall:

Four-character Couplets:

• The clan originated from the state of Youchao; its members were distinguished in Pengcheng. (Refer to the explanations of the clan’s origin and historical background.)
• The sage washed his ears; the elder had brilliant eyes. (Refer to the story of Chaofu refusing the throne and washing his ears.)
• A friend of Emperor Yao; a minister of the Han dynasty. (Refer to historical figures related to the Chao clan.)

Six-character Couplets:

• Recognize the importance of etiquette; write books to transmit classics. (Refer to historical figures from the Han dynasty.)
• A medical